Accused of Witchcraft
by iamsarcasm
Summary: Sakura is a sophomore with unusual powers. After being shunned and beaten at her old school, she gets transferred to an out of city school, and gets a new chance at a normal life. SakuxSasu, maybe others...
1. Prologue Chapter 1

**greetings, this is my first fanfic. i absolutely adore naruto high school fanfics and this was inspired by all of the ones i've read! thank you for writing such great stories everyone! now i will coordinate with my brilliant mind and we will write a fanfic of our own.**

words and stuff _thoughts and flashbacks and stuff_

summary: Sakura is a sophomore in high school who was born with many unusual powers. Because of her abilities she was shunned my all she met. After a recent threat to her life, Sakura was transferred to a school in the next town over, and now has a new chance at life.

**disclaimer: i don't own naruto dudes. duh.**

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Despite the numerous explanations, Sakura's aunt still didn't see why it was necessary to transfer schools. The doctors and therapist had suggested moving, but Kana Haruno would have none of that. Sakura had been sitting in an uncomfortable red chair next to her aunt for thirty minutes while they received a bit of last minute information on the new high school from its vice principal.

"I already handed you your class schedule, correct? Okay, here's a map of the school and a list about the after school clubs and such. Any questions?" said the vice principal, who had previously introduced herself as Shizune.

"No, we don't have any," Kana replied, "Come on, Sakura, the meeting's over. We're leaving."

_Truthfully_, Sakura thought as she stood and followed her aunt out of the office, _I do have a question...not that you could answer it now……_

Sakura's eyes went to their automatic downward gaze as she walked. She really wanted to ask the question looming in the back of her mind; the question that always pops up when she goes somewhere new.

_Will everyone hate me?_

At 10:43 the day before her arrival at the new school, Sakura couldn't sleep. She was still preoccupied with her question. _What if they do hate me? _ _What if things are just like at my old school?_Sakura's elementary and middle school years were now only memories, but they were ones of complete loneliness and pain. She experienced emotional agony at a very young age. Everything went to extremes in her freshman year, resulting in her transfer.

_FLASHBACK_

_Sakura was leaving school, innocently walking home, when suddenly she fell forward. During her attempt to get up, she noticed that her head was throbbing terribly. Raising her slightly shaking hand to the left side of her face she felt warm wetness where her cheekbone was. Looking up, Sakura saw her tormentors, or as most would say, her classmates. There was a group of about five or six of them, but Sakura was too lightheaded to be able to focus on their faces._

_"Hey, are you sure that was necessary?" asked a boy, "She has really bad health, what if she dies?"_

_"It was just a rock," another boy said._

_"Yeah, and we've never got in trouble before. It's like the teachers want us to be mean to her," a girl added in._

_"Exactly," said another girl, "Nobody wants a witch-freak around. So…let's turn up the heat!"_

_Sakura awoke in a hospital a day later with first and second degree burns on her arms and stomach._

_END FLASHBACK_

"I don't want stuff like that to happen again," Sakura whispered to herself. Although, despite her many worries, Sakura had a small ray of hope sprouting inside her. This new school was over in the neighboring town. Little to no people will even have heard of her. Sakura could start over, and have the life she always wanted.

The life of a normal girl.

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**thank you for reading. i'd love reviews. constructive criticism is accepted. no flames, they waste everyone's time. **

**with you in spirit,**

** iamsarcasm **


	2. Chapter 2

**i'm on the 2nd chapter! we're doing good? yes? no? possibly? whatever, i won't waste your time.**

**disclaimer: naruto. i don't own it. **

words and stuff _thoughts and stuff_

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Sakura woke up to the sound of a car engine starting. Glancing at her clock she realized she had overslept and that her aunt was leaving.

"My first day….." she said to herself as she got up out of bed. Finding an outfit was easy for her, she didn't have many patterned clothes so matching things was never a problem for her. Sakura pulled out a light blue shirt with a sweater of a similar color and a black, ankle-length skirt. It felt almost odd for her to choose a normal outfit on a weekday; her old schools all had uniforms. _But today,_she thought, _I won't think about the past. I have a new chance at everything, I'm lucky, not many people get that._ Sakura put on her black flats and went into the kitchen.

"I don't have much time so I guess I'll have an apple for breakfast," Sakura mumbled, but her idea was quickly dismissed when she saw kids walking down the street to where the bus stop was. _Am I really that late?_ She grabbed her purple backpack and ran out the door.

It was to her luck that she ran out when she did, for right as Sakura neared the stop, so did the bus. While on it Sakura took an empty seat in the middle and kept her gaze to the window the whole ride. It was because of this that she failed to notice the curious glances she received from the girl in the seat across the aisle.

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Using the map that the vice principal had given her the other day Sakura could easily find her locker, which was kindly placed one door down from her homeroom class. Another surprise gesture of kindness was that all of the textbooks that she needed were already in there, so there was no need for her to go to the book depository. Even though this was a seemingly meaningless act, Sakura felt it was a good omen and was glad that her day had gotten off to a good start. Riding the inter-city bus meant little time before classes, and within a few minutes the warning bell rang. Sakura entered her first hour class and found it to be pretty orderless. Kids were chatting and goofing around and some were even on their cell phones. At first this unnerved Sakura, but then it calmed her. If people were all doing their own things then that meant that there wouldn't be much attention paid to the new girl coming in. To her despair, however, she hadn't even gotten halfway past the teacher's desk before she was drawn to attention.

"Ah, and this must be our new student," said a voice to Sakura's right. She turned to see that there was a teacher in the room, she just hadn't noticed. A man with silver hair and something covering one eye was reading at the desk. _How did I not notice him there?_ Sakura mentally scolded herself for being so unaware. The man raised his head to look at her and Sakura could now see that, like his one eye, the bottom half of his face was covered too.

"Hello, my name is Kakashi and I'll be your homeroom and your math teacher," stated the one at the desk, "I see that you've already got your books and your schedule, my, aren't we prepared?"

"Um, hi, my name is Sakura Haruno….."

"Oh**I **know that, you were added into my grade book. But **they** don't know who you are. Why not introduce yourself to the class?"

Sakura turned to see that although there was still chatter, the class had turned its eyes onto her. Well, not **her, **more like they were looking at her **hair.** Sakura had cursed her pink hair so many times, and deeply wanted to change it, but her aunt wouldn't allow her to dye it. Instead of shriveling in the spotlight like she did in her old classes, she decided to take this opportunity to start a change. Everyone was already looking at her so if she introduced herself now she wouldn't have to repeat herself later.

"H-hello, my name is Sakura Haruno. I just transferred here from the next town over."

"Oh yeah, I saw her on the bus."

"Nice to meet you!"

Thankfully, the class had taken well to her! Sakura was so happy for that, she almost missed the next thing Kakashi said.

"Now then, let's find you a guide for the day…"

_What? A guide? But I'm not good with making friends! Can't you just leave me be? Can't I just wander around the halls like a lost puppy? I have a map! Do I really __need__ to have someone to follow around? I'll probably just annoy them. I'm better off alone you see…_

Unfortunately, none of Sakura's mental ranting reached Kakashi as he flipped through his papers.

"Ah, here we are, there are three people with your exact schedule, but one of them even rides your bus. This is a great opportunity to make friends. Hinata! Please raise your hand!" Kakashi said all of this without looking up. A girl with rather short, purple shaded hair slowly raised her hand. She was sitting in the back near a window, with an empty seat next to her. In the seat behind her was a blonde boy who was smiling like a maniac while he drew something on a paper, and next to him was a boy with black hair and black eyes who was looking out the window. It was an odd little group, one that seemed like it shouldn't belong, but was there anyways.

"Yes, Hinata, you will be Sakura's guide for the day…or however long she needs it," Kakashi wasn't really giving the girl any room for protest.

"Y-yes," was her quiet reply.

Kakashi went back to reading so Sakura assumed that she was dismissed. She went to the empty seat next to Hinata.

"Hi," Sakura said in hopes of breaking the strange silence surrounding the group.

"H-hello, m-my name's Hinata," she replied.

**SLAM!** The sound from behind them caused both girls to jump. Sakura followed Hinata's eyes to see that the blonde boy had abandoned his paper and pencil and slammed his fists on the desk.

"N-naruto?" Hinata said with a confused look on her face.

The blonde turned to Sakura.

"MY NAME'S NARUTO UZUMAKI AND SOME DAY I'M GONNA BE A FAMOUS ARTIST! BELIEVE IT!" he yelled, still with that maniac grin on.

"Oh, it's nice to meet you…" Sakura now felt even more out of place, and in addition to that, why was the class acting like everything was normal? He just shouted at the top of his lungs. The teacher's not even irritated? Is this kind of stuff normal for him?

"Please ignore the idiot in the corner." The boy with the dark hair finally spoke.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!?!?!" Naruto shouted at him.

"Naruto," Kakashi looked up for a split second, "I was going to ignore that first outburst because it was one of good intentions, but please, for the love of all things living, keep your voice down." Naruto scratched his head and let out an embarrassed laugh.

"Heh heh, sorry!"

_Well……my class so far is……interesting…_

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**is it good? will you review? we will be eternally greatful!**

**no, we are not plants,**

** iamsarcasm **_  
_


	3. Chapter 3

**hello all! Thank You for all the hits! i got like, 65! i totally wasnt expecting that, you all made my day!**

**thanks to **My Broken Death Angel **and **Sakura-chan1345 **for reviewing! **

**thanks also to **My Broken Death Angel, man-chan, **and** hizmit12-waterlilly3721 **for favoriting my story!**

**me and my brilliant mind. we feel very special.**

words and stuff thoughts and stuff

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"Anyways," Naruto continued his confrontation with the dark haired boy, "I am not an idiot, I just want people to know about my life-long dream!"

"Yeah, you are an idiot," the dark haired boy replied, "You nearly scared Hinata and Sakura to death. And what makes you think that people who don't even know you want to hear about your dreams? I've known you since grade school and **I **don't even want to hear it."

Naruto made a sad, dejected face, "But I will be a famous artist, ya know? Here Sakura, I'll prove it!"

"What? N-no, you don't have to……" Sakura trailed off because the blonde had already started drawing on a new sheet of paper he whipped out. He was drawing now with a look of deep concentration, so Sakura decided to leave him be.

"Well," the dark haired boy said, "Now that his introduction's out of the way, I'm Sasuke."

"Nice to meet you," Sakura was thankful that he was calm. She wasn't too sure of how to act around people, especially people with random outbursts of emotion.

"S-Sakura," Hinata said in her soft voice, "You have all of my classes right? So you have art fourth hour?"

"Yeah."

"Well then, you'll have the pleasure of meeting our other friends, too. They have different classes first through third hour, but from art class on they're with us," Sasuke said, not looking up from what he was writing. _Oh great, _Sakura thought, _are they all so hyper? Ugh, anticipation makes me uneasy._

"DONE!" a loud voice belonging to Naruto interrupted her thinking. _Wha? But it's only been like two or three minutes._

"Oh, wow!" exclaimed Sakura as she looked at the picture Naruto had handed her. Staring back at her was what looked like a pro artist's sketch of herself.

"Wow, Naruto, this is amazing!"

"I told you I'd be famous some day!" Naruto replied with a proud look on his face, "Although, I had a little bit of trouble getting that sad look from your eyes onto the paper." That comment caused Hinata and Sasuke to look at Sakura, causing her to feel out of place. She never did like people staring at her.

"Ok class, time to go," Kakashi said, and people started leaving.

"Um…Huh?" Sakura was totally confused, but glad that the attention was now off of her.

"O-oh yeah. The b-bell in Kakashi's r-room doesn't work, s-so he tells us when c-class let's o-out," Hinata explained.

"O…kay, but that was more than homeroom time…oh yeah, he's our math teacher! Did he just give us a free day?" Sakura still was in the dark on this.

"It's Monday," Sasuke pointed out, "Kakashi never teaches on Mondays. Or Tuesdays. Only Wednesdays through Fridays."

"Oh," Sakura wondered if the teachers here have a lot of leeway on the job. It was already pretty casual that the students just called them by their names. Not quite knowing what to do, Sakura got her backpack and followed the trio out of the classroom and down the hall.

"So now," Sasuke told her, "It's technically third hour. English, taught by Kurenai."

Sakura nodded. It certainly would take her a bit to get used to things around here. _But still, as long as I'm careful, I can have the normal life I've dreamed of. All I have to do is keep my secrets……not that anyone would care to hear my life story._

They were the last to leave Kakashi's class and the last to enter Kurenai's, and they came in to find her angry and on the school intercom.

"What do you mean? How can you not have them?" she shouted, "Ugh! This messes up my entire lesson plans, you know? Fine! But have them by Friday!" Kurenai let go of the talk button and turned to the class.

"The novel we were going to start this week," she started, "The entire class set is missing from the book depository. I don't have the faintest idea how! Now do what you want this hour, but do it quietly! I have to make up entirely new lesson plans for the week!" Kurenai then went to her desk and angrily shuffled through papers and occasionally glancing at the computer.

"Yay! Free day! Isn't this great guys?" Naruto exclaimed while running to a window seat and pulling out a sketchbook.

"S-Sakura, do you l-like any particular f-field of a-art?" Hinata asked.

"I like drawing, but I'm nowhere near as good as Naruto," Sakura replied, "But I enjoy drawing still life."

"Hn, another artist," Sasuke said with a smirk on his face.

"B-but Sasuke, creative w-writing is a t-type of art t-too."

"No that falls under Language Arts! So get out!" Naruto yelled at him.

"But it has the word 'art' in it," Sasuke said, causing Naruto to grip his pencil with excessive force.

"STOP TRYING TO MAKE ME FEEL STUPID!" he shouted.

"NARUTO, BE QUIET OR GO TO THE OFFICE!" Kurenai shouted at him at equal volume. Naruto sank into his chair and people started laughing. _Well,_Sakura thought, _I think I can trust these people. It seems I'll be having a lot of fun! _She let a small smile onto her face and giggled. Unfortunately, no one seemed to notice the sadness leave her and make room for the smile. No one, that is, except Sasuke.

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**Yay! chapter 3 is done! i might even write more today!**

**oh! and thanks also to the 3 who put my story on alerts: **My Broken Death Angel, SASKUSASU123, **and **Sakura-chan1345! **wow **My Broken Death Angel**, you sure do seem to like my story! **

**meat's no treat for those you eat,**

** iamsarcasm **


	4. Chapter 4

**hi everyone! wow this is a lot of updates in one day! i'm just so happy though, over 100 hits in the first 6 hours! Thank you all! i got more favorites and reviews and alerts and i've been working so much so it' sgreat to know you like it! me and my brilliant mind! we present you with chapter 4!**

**disclaimer: naruto is a popular anime and manga. there are also video games. i have the games and manga. i watch the anime. but i dont own it.**

words and stuff _thoughts and stuff_

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During art class, Sakura met Shikamaru, Kiba, and Ten Ten, and now they were all headed to lunch. Sakura had packed herself a lunch so she just went to sit down while the others bought theirs. Hinata was the first to come.

"S-Sakura, c-can I ask you a q-question?" she quietly asked.

"Um, sure," Sakura had no clue what this could be about.

"W-why did you t-transfer h-here? Y-you've always l-lived down t-the b-block from m-me, but y-you w-went to another s-school." Apparently, Hinata was very observant. This question though, it made Sakura feel uneasy. She swallowed and looked down at her hands.

"You don't really want to know," Sakura replied quietly.

"Eh?" Hinata didn't get to ask her what she meant, for the others had come, and she sensed that this was something Sakura wanted to keep private.

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However, Sakura did have to face Hinata on the bus. She didn't want to offend Hinata and lose a new friend, but she didn't really want to talk about her past either. _I guess I've just gotta be strong,_Sakura told herself as she boarded the bus.

"Hi, Hinata," Sakura hoped to change the subject.

"Hi, S-Sakura……o-oh and about at l-lunch." No such luck. Sakura gripped the hem of her sweater.

"I'm s-sorry." _Wha? She…she's not going to press for details?_

"I-I know w-what it's like to n-not want to talk about s-some things. I d-didn't mean to u-upset you," Hinata looked sincere as she said this. _Oh? What could she have that she doesn't like to talk about? She seems like such a happy, normal girl……like what I want to be._

"That's ok, Hinata. Don't worry about it!" Sakura smiled. A real smile, not the ones she used to use to fake through the day. But before Hinata could call it out, they got to their stop.

"I'll see you tomorrow then!" Sakura said as she went into her house. Hinata gave a small wave and proceeded down the block. _I guess Sasuke was right, _Hinata thought, _once you see her smile, you really notice the difference. She seems so sad…I hope she'll be happy here._

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WITH SAKURA

She opened the door to her house to find a new message on the house phone. Her aunt had called telling her she'd be out on the late shift tonight and tomorrow. This was even better, new friends, new school, and no hateful aunt to come home to! Sakura couldn't remember a happier moment in her life. _This is great! Leisurely classes, nice people, and………is that a cat that just ran by????_

_--------------------------------------------- _   
WITH HINATA

She continued down the street to her house. She could see a dark red car in the driveway. _Big Brother must be home, _she thought. Hinata could also hear laughing. _He brought friends? But mom and dad aren't home yet………oh no! His friends!_ Hinata dropped her backpack and ran past the next tow houses to hers. Practically crashing through the gate she found five of her brother's junior year friends…and her cat, Smoky. The grey, shaggy furred cat was being held down while the boys shocked its stomach with wet wires.

"STOP IT!" Hinata screamed and threw the closest thing at them. The boys were still laughing when they dodged the flying shovel, but they dropped the cat. At this chance at freedom, Smoky ran as if all hell broke loose.

"C-come back!" Hinata chased after Smoky into the neighbors' yards. After running all the way down the block Smoky hid under a bush.

"P-please come out. I'm so s-sorry Smoky, Big Brother….Neji said he'd keep them away from you. I n-never should have trusted him s-so blindly. I'm sorry," Hinata was now half under the bush and crying, not just because people had hurt her friend, but also because a frightened Smoky was hissing and clawing at her arm.

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SAKURA

_What? I could've sworn I saw a cat run by…and Hinata was chasing it. What just happened?_

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WITH NEJI

"I told you guys to cut it out! The ONLY reason I let you come over was because we have to do a project together!" Neji was pissed. That was putting it nicely. He didn't want his little sister's cat to get hurt, that meant she'd be hurt, and he didn't want that.

"Oh man, that was funny!" one boy said, "You should have heard the weird sounds that thing made! Then she threw a shovel! A SHOVEL! HA!"

"Yeah man," another boy said, "Why'd you go in the house? You totally missed it!"

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HINATA

Hinata's arm was red and puffy. There was a little blood here and there, but it was all right. Things were fine because Smoky calmed down and let her carry him back. All of the shelters she took him to said that he'd never get along with people. They said they'd have to put him down. Hinata didn't want to send the poor cat to his death, the place where she rescued him from. That would be too cruel. _Like those boys,_ she thought. People who hurt animals are just as bad as people who hurt other people in Hinata's opinion. She couldn't find her backpack on the way home, but she didn't care now. There wasn't anything of value in there; her phone and money were in her jeans pocket. Hinata got the spare key from its place under the loose brick and let herself and Smoky in.

"Hinata," Neji was at the table on the computer, "I'm sorry, I---"

"Leave me alone," she mumbled, and ran upstairs to her room.

"No, really I-"

"I HATE YOU!" she slammed the door in his face.

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SAKURA

_I know that was Hinata chasing the cat across the yard, I even found her backpack in the street. I just must've missed her as she was coming back. Oh well, I guess I'll give it to her tomorrow._

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**well? did we do good? review? oh, here's some pointers:**

**+ in my fanfic Hinata is one of those ppl who are shy in public but fine around friends and at home. she's also an animal rights activist. (lol, that kinda describes me and some of my friends)**

**+Neji is Hinata's big bro, not cousin like in the anime/manga**

**+ when i picture smoky i picture my friend emily's old cat baby. so emily, if you read this, think of baby and the cat food cake you made him!**

**summoning chimeras at a dangerous speed,**

** iamsarcasm **_  
_


	5. Chapter 5

**YAY! i have 11 reviews, 7 favorites, and 7 alerts! also this story has had over 300 hits within its first 12 hours of being a story!!!!! i'm oh so happy, i might even do another chapter tonight!**

words and stuff _thoughts and flashbacks and stuff_

**disclaimer: naruto is not a real dude and i dont own him. some asian dude (masashi kishimoto) owns him.**

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The next day at the bus stop Sakura gave Hinata her backpack. The two didn't really say much; Hinata was still a little angry and Sakura could tell she didn't want to be bothered. However as the two were walking to homeroom, one of Neji's friends came up to them.

"Hey, Catwoman. Better keep track of your kitties!"

_Huh?_ Sakura was utterly confused. Then the guy turned to her.

"Hey……I swear I've seen you somewhere before…ah, whatever."

"Do you know him?" Hinata asked as he left.

"Never seen him in my life," Sakura replied.

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The day had been rather uneventful, with the exception of Naruto's hourly outbursts and Sasuke's retorts to them. Hinata and Sakura were waiting at school for the bus to come when a rather old white car pulled up. Three people got out of it, the older boy from earlier, and two girls from Sakura's old school. _Ah…! _Sakura froze. Part of her wanted to run, part of her wanted to just ignore them, and a very strange part of her wanted to face them.

"See sis?" the older boy said to one of the girls, "That weird kid you once told me about. Right here." He pointed at Sakura. There weren't too many people outside of the building this early after school, but oh, how Sakura wished there were. _Maybe they just wanted to see where I am. Then they can go home and start rumors. Maybe they won't make a scene. _

"Oh my God…that freak is here!" one girl looked shocked, "I thought she'd died or something…who's that next to her?"

"Hey, Purple-Hair-Girl next to the freak. Let me tell you, you don't  wanna stand there," the girl that the upper classman had referred to as his sister called.

"Who are they?" Hinata whispered to Sakura. She looked over at her friend and saw that Sakura's face had gone pale and she was shaking a little. _Is this why she moved?_ Hinata wondered, _Was she being harassed?_

"So," the sister turned to Sakura, "Why'd you run away? Were you scared? What's the matter witch? Can't say anything?" _Why did they come? Why did that boy have to know them?_

"Hey," the sister went back to talking to Hinata, "You think she's normal right? You two friends? Do you even know what she really is?"_ Why are they doing this? Why can't they just leave me alone?_

"Witches are scary things," the sister pulled something out of her pocket. A Swiss army knife.

"Have you ever seen what happens when they're in danger?" _Wait…I know this girl…_

_FLASHBACK_

_Sakura was sitting on the swings. She was only six and was waiting for her mom to come and push her. _

The sister walked towards Sakura.

_A girl had tripped on the pavement a little ways in front of Sakura's swing. She had scraped her arm up bad and started to cry. Sakura walked over._

Sakura stepped away.

_Something inside of Sakura told her to put her hand over the wound. The six-year-old automatically put her hand on top of the bloody area._

Sakura couldn't see anymore.

_When Sakura lifted her hand up, all blood, cuts, and traces of such were gone from the fellow child's arm. The young girl stared at Sakura in confusion and wonder._

She felt something leave her from the inside.

_The next day the girl was trailing Sakura. Following her all day and never saying a word. As if to find out who she was and how she took away the injury._

She felt the pressure outside of her becoming immense.

_The next day in class, the teacher read a story about a witch and a princess. "What's a witch?" one child asked. The teacher said a witch is someone who does magic and who is usually bad._

Sakura heard a crash and the pressure let up a little.

"_Her!" one child had stood up in class, "Her right there! She's a witch!" The girl standing was pointing at Sakura. The same girl from the playground._

Sakura could see again. The sister was in front of her now, but turned the other way. The sister, her friend, the upper classman, and Hinata all had the same look of shock spread across their faces. The windows of the car had broken, most likely caused by something when the pressure Sakura had felt went away. But Sakura wasn't thinking about that now. She felt anger. Anger and pain, built up and kept inside for years. The pain she acquired on the playground and the anger acquired over the years.

"_She took my scrape from my arm! She did!"_

That same girl was standing with her back to her.

"_That's nonsense. If she had taken your scrape, she'd be able to give it back, right?"_

_END FLASHBACK_

"I don't want your wound! TAKE IT BACK!" Sakura grabbed the girl's arm and felt another wave of pressure. The sister screamed and pulled away, the sudden movement causing Sakura to fall. Sakura looked at the one she attacked, whose arm now hung limp and bleeding.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!?!?!" the sister screamed, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME YOU FREAK?!?!?!"

The two girls, one of them bleeding, and the older boy jumped into the car and drove off, glass shards and all. Sakura sat there on the ground. _What…what __did__ I do?_

"Sakura!" a voice called. She turned to see Hinata with Sasuke running towards her.

"Sakura!" Hinata said when they got there, "I was so scared! When she pulled a knife out I ran to get a teacher but I couldn't find any so I brought Sasuke!" Sakura seemed to be in a daze.

"Sakura, are you ok?" Sasuke asked her. But he sounded so far away. _You'll have to speak up, Sasuke……_Sakura couldn't seem to find her voice.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" he asked. _I'm not……stupid you know…_Her body felt even farther away than they sounded.

"Sakura!" Hinata shouted as her friend fell limp, "What do we…what do we do?"

"We have to take her to the nurse," Sasuke said, propping Sakura up, "Ah, Hinata can you get the door?"

"Sure."

"What…………ened to her."

"These……..one…..a knife……glass broke………"

"I…I know what…….ened."

"What?"

"She's…………….am."

"No…….those…aren't real."

_Why do they have to sound so far away?_

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**well, is it good? is my story good? i'd be eternally grateful if you fave and review!**

**i decided to try my hand at a cliffhanger...although as a reader, i know how they can be annoying... **

**eat my face,**

** iamsarcasm **_  
_


	6. Chapter 6

**hi all and happy new years! its 2008 now but i know i'm still gonna end up putting 2007 on my school papers...**

**this is chapter 6. short, i know, but its 2 am and my brain doesnt always work too well at night. i got over 600 hits in less than 12 hours! now i know what it feels like when some authors say they just want to give you all a big hug! me? i'm planning on giving you all a big, fresh chimera!  
**

**me and my brilliant mind. we have graced you with another chapter.**

**disclaimer: i did not create naruto. i do not own it. i create chimeras. they do my bidding. **

words and stuff _thoughts and flashbacks and stuff_

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Sakura woke up in the nurse's office. Sasuke was sitting in a chair next to her. _What...oh? _

_FLASHBACK_

"_I…I know what…….ened."_

"_What?"_

"_She's…………….am."_

"_No…….those…aren't real."_

_END FLASHBACK_

"Sasuke…" she managed to say. He looked up from what he was writing.

"You know…don't you? You know what I am…" She couldn't remember falling asleep, but she remembered the pieces of conversation.

"Hn. So you were conscious." Sakura sat up suddenly, startling him.

"Please," the look in her eyes was desperate, "Please tell me. You don't know what it's like. What it's like to go through life being hated for what you are and…and not even knowing what that is…"

Sasuke was silent for a moment, "In my creative writing studies, I once came across a book on humans with……unique powers. The powers of creation and destruction. When those humans use their powers for creation, a part of them gets destroyed. And when they destroy, a part of them gets healed."

Sakura thought about this. It sounded logical, if there is any logic in the world anymore. But whether it was the truth or not it was all she ever had to work with. Even if this wasn't real, it was the only option anyone had offered her.

"Thank you," Sakura leaned towards him a little and shivered.

"That," Sasuke called her out on it, "Why do you shiver like that? When I carried you here, you were shaking like crazy. I thought you were having a seizure…"

"Oh?" Sakura never really thought about it before. It was just something she did around people.

"I guess it's because…I've never really felt someone else's warmth before."

"W-what about your parents?" that response had really taken Sasuke by surprise.

"They left me sometime in fourth grade," Sakura's eyes were sad and downcast as she spoke, "They said…they didn't know how to love me anymore…"

Sasuke didn't know what to say to this. What do you say to someone who's been through that? Should he do something to comfort her? Should he apologize? Should he say something like 'oh'?

"Maybe I should be going home now," Sakura interrupted his thoughts.

"What? W-wait, are you sure you're all right?" he was still a little worried about her.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine." She turned to face him and gave a small smile, a gift that was rarely strewn across her face. Sasuke almost wanted to hold her face to keep it like that, he didn't like to see her sad. Her smiles were just so wonderful.

"Um, c-can I help you?" Sakura interrupted his thoughts again. She was looking at him with an adorably innocent confused look on her face. It took Sasuke three seconds to realize that he really was in fact holding her face. He quickly regained himself and removed his hands.

"N-nothing…here, I'll call Hinata to get you a ride home. You live kinda far and the bus left thirty minutes ago." He almost couldn't believe his actions.

"Ok, thank you." Was he falling for someone who seemed straight out of storybooks?

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**i'm oh so tired, but glad i got this chapter up. thanks again for all of the favorites, alerts, and reviews!**

**i can see inside my brain,**

**iamsarcasm **


	7. Chapter 7

**hi guys. my brilliant mind and i have come to grace you with another chapter! it is january now, a new year, my birthday month, and gasp mid-terms! luckily for you guys, i'm the kinda student who can do the absolute minimum amount of studying and still do good. so the updates shouldn't slow down too much...**

**but, here's the thing, i live with my mom, who has dial-up. right now, i'm visiting my dad. i do this about every other weekend. i go back to my mom's sometime tomorrow (wed) and i dont know how much i'll be able to do on the earthlink dial-up connection. but don't worry! i'll do my best!**

**also, i have almost 1,000 hits! i've also got 20 reviews and 12 favs and 11 alerts! you all should be expecting a big, fresh, writhing chimera under your beds and behind your pillows very soon! i was thinking, art is my strong point, so for every 2,500 hits or every 100 reviews (which ever i decide...later) i'll draw a pic from my story, post it on deviant art, and put the link on my profile! how's that for ya? oh no, i've used so much space...**

**Disclaimer: naruto is not mine. whodathunkit?**

words and stuff _thoughts and flashbacks and stuff_

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _  
Sakura lay on her bed in her room. Hinata's mother had come to pick her up; she wasn't sure where Sasuke had gone. Hinata's mother was a nice woman…the kind of woman Sakura had always wished her own mother could have been.

_FLASHBACK_

"_Look mom! The birdie got hit by a car, but I saved it! Just by touching it! See?"_

"_What are you doing, you freak? What if someone saw you? Do you have any idea how hard your father and I have struggled to keep this family together?"_

_END FLASHBACK_

A small tear rolled down Sakura's cheek. _Hinata probably has lots of happy memories with her family. All I have to reflect on is memories of hate. _She wiped the tear from her face and pulled the covers around her. _At least…now I have friends…_

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _

Sakura was sitting at a table in her fourth hour art class listening to Ten Ten's rant.

"It'sso not fair! The only thing I'm really good at is English. I had to practically beg them to put me in the junior's math class. But I've still got history and biology with the sophomores!" Ten Ten was upset that the classes she had made her seem rather dumb, but everyone else at the table knew that she didn't mind the classes too much because she was with a lot of her friends.

"Oh yeah, hey Sakura," Ten Ten changed the subject, finally, "This one dude in my math class, he was saying something about you. Something about you breaking his car…"

Sakura tensed up a bit and Hinata and Sasuke glanced over at her, but all of this went unnoticed by Ten Ten.

"Good job!" Ten Ten's sudden praise caught Sakura off guard, "I swear if you hadn't I would've! The guy's a total jerk! And it must run in the family 'cause his sister acts all high and mighty too!" Sakura didn't know what to say. She didn't intend on breaking the boy's car windows, and certainly Ten Ten didn't know all of what had happened. Not that Sakura was in any rush to tell her. At the end of the art class Sasuke came up to her.

"Sakura," the boy looked like he hadn't slept at all, "I went to the library last night. I found that book I once read. About people like you." Sakura had two things she wanted to do right now: hug him for being considerate enough to go out and get the book for her, and scold him for staying up late searching for it. As one who isn't used to feeling many emotions, she did some strange combination of the two.

"Sasuke!" Sakura said as she hugged him, "Thank you! You did well! But not really. No. You shouldn't stay up late looking for things like that. But I'm glad you did. Well, not really, it's something you shouldn't have done, but I'm happy!" All this time, Sasuke stood there with Sakura hugging him, not knowing what to say or how to react. Was she scolding him, thanking him, or praising him?

"Um, you're…welcome?" was his confused reply.

"Oooh! Look at the new couple!" Naruto had apparently finished his drawing and come out of his own little world just in time to see Sakura hug Sasuke.

"Eh?"

"Shut up, Naruto!"

"Sasuke's in looove!"

"I said shut up!"

"Hey Ten Ten!" Naruto had proceeded to run up to all of their friends and spread the news, "Guess what! Sasuke's in love!"

"Oh is he now?"

"Hey Shikamaru!" Naruto found him slowly rinsing some paintbrushes, "Sasuke's in love!"

"…yawnSorry, what was that?"

"Oh never mind! Hey, Hinata, guess what!"

"U-um, what?"

"Sasuke's in love!"

"I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!" Sasuke hit Naruto in the head, causing him to fall forward into the extra pottery clay Hinata was clearing away. The blonde boy raised his head from the table, his face now covered with clay. It was silent for a few moments. Then Sasuke started laughing hysterically.

"Hey, it's not that funny," Naruto searched for a towel as Sasuke continued in his laughter.

"Oh?" Sakura was suddenly right in front of Sasuke, "Your smile……it's so happy and real………can I touch it?" Sakura had one finger up next to her face and her expression showed that she was serious. Sasuke blinked into a confused look and blushed at their closeness.

"See? Sasuke's in—" Naruto went silent at the threatening look Sasuke was giving him. He was slightly turned from Sakura and he hadn't answered her question. He hadn't said no either, so she decided to poke him anyways.

"Hn?" Sasuke now had a finger on his mouth. Sakura leaned her own face in towards his, causing his blush to deepen.

"I've never been this close to a real smile before," Sakura was staring at his mouth. _Oh? What must it have been like, _Sasuke wondered, _to grow up away from others' emotions?_

"Aren't they just the cutest?" Naruto was now strategically placed behind Hinata for safety.

"Sh-shut up Naruto, don't think I can't just walk around her," Sasuke's comment made Naruto realize the holes in his defense plan.

"Oh, well then…see you guys later!" Naruto said as ha ran out of the art room.

"Idiot. We have the same classes."

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**i like tenchu. the music is stuck in my head, oh nooo!**

**thank you all for putting up with us. remember your possible prize! its a new goal! oh and keep an eye out for your chimeras. **

**i rode a disco dolphin 700 miles back to my homeland,**

**iamsarcasm **


	8. Chapter 8

**sigh hey dudes. i'm in a total emo moment right now. my dad just gave me some lecture about spirituality and about how i have no obligation to be with him every other weekend and it made me feel like a bad person. now i'm sitting on my ass at 1 am writing a chapter and listening to my ipod. the song is "united states of whatever."**

**wow, i just figured out how to make those lines that divide parts of yer story. damn, i'm really out of it. and i still gotta do my four pages of homework of online spanish... whatever. **

**here's a new chapter, brought to you by me and my brilliant mind. "cause this is my united states of whatever!!!"**

**words and stuff _thoughts and flashbacks and stuff_**

**disclaimer: i believe i've said that i dont own naruto before. nor do i own the quote from "united states of whatever" which is by liam lynch  
**

* * *

Sakura walked into her house. She was still quite happy from today. She had never really seen a smile up close, so openly used around her. Sakura took off her shoes and proceeded to the stairs when she heard the sound of silverware clanking in the kitchen. _Oh yeah, my aunt has normal work hours today. _She walked into the room to greet her guardian. 

"Hi Auntie!" Kana Haruno had a fairly shocked look on her face. Her niece had never seemed so happy, well, she never seemed happy at all. Kana narrowed her eyes as she thought of the consequences of Sakura getting too comfortable being around people.

"Shut up. Whatever you're thinking, it's a lie." Now it was Sakura's turn to look shocked.

"Wh-what?"

"You heard me. If you think people are going to accept you here, you're dead wrong. No one will ever care for something like you, I'd bet anything they're just being nice to the new girl."

"B-but……Auntie…you're wrong, I do have friends here…"

"Well, here's a thought. Will they look at you the same way if they knowwhat you are?"

"B-but…y-yes they will!"

"That's impossible, no one would like some witchy thing like you! Not when they find out!"

"S-Sasuke does!" The room went silent for a minute. No more or less had passed when Kana went up to Sakura and punched her, hitting the poor girl straight in the eye.

"Wh-why did you…?"

"Sasuke?!" her aunt burst out yelling, "Sasuke Uchiha?!?! What the hell is wrong with you?! Of all people, why did you have to display your freakish powers to the SON OF MY BOSS?!?!?! Do you realize that I could get fired?! People will think that by living with you I have some sort of freak illness floating around me!! Why did you tell HIM?!?!?!" Sakura has had many people angry at her before, even her aunt, but she had never seen her so outraged. She didn't tell Sasuke, he found out on his own really. Sakura didn't just walk up to him and say she had unique powers followed up by a display. And since it wasn't her fault she didn't know how to fix it. She was scared that if she couldn't fix anything she'd be hit again, and she started to cry.

"Oh shut up, if anyone should be crying it should be me! This is my only source of income! That's your fault too, you know! You killed my husband, you, you…DEMON!"

Sakura cried harder now. She didn't like to be reminded that she was her family's bad luck charm. The reason why her parents left. The curse that brought on her uncle's death.

_FLASHBACK_

_A fourth grade Sakura sat in the backseat of her uncle's van, staring at the Mini Cooper in front of them. Her uncle had just picked her up from the hospital, where she had gotten stitches from being pushed off the jungle gym and landing on her chin. Her uncle didn't know that, though. She just told him and the doctors that she fell. _

"_Hey Sakura. How about I make your favorite dinner tonight? It'll help you forget about the stitches for a little bit!" He turned around to smile at her. Suddenly his expression changed, as her looked out the back window._

"_Oh my God!" Sakura followed her uncle's gaze out the back window. Her eyes met a set of headlights. _

* * *

_Sakura woke up, back in the hospital. They told her that she was one of two survivors in a three car pile up. The other wasn't her uncle._

_END FLASHBACK_

Sakura cried even harder than before. Her uncle was the only family member who had ever cared about her. Hearing people say that she was the cause of his death was like having a shark tear through her heart.

"I don't want to hear your sobs! In fact, I don't want to see you for the rest of tonight! Get away from me!" Kana swung at her niece again but Sakura ran so she only brushed her shoulder. Sakura grabbed her bag and ran up the stairs. Her left eye was throbbing and her heart hurt. All her earlier happy feelings were forgotten at the moment.

* * *

WITH HINATA 

Hinata was sitting at her desk in her room doing her math homework. Kakashi didn't teach too often, but when he did he gave them enough homework to make up for it. There was a knock at her door, startling her and Smoky, who jumped off of the desk and onto her bed. Before she could ask who it was the door opened, it was her brother, Neji.

"What do you want?" Hinata was still a mad at him for the other day.

"Look, I came to tell you I'm sorry. I never wanted them to…Hinata, don't ignore me," his sister had pulled an ipod out and was now scrolling through it, "Heh, whatever, I know you're still listening. Hinata, the reason I was in the house while they were out there torturing your cat was because I had threatened to call the police on them. They did it anyways, so I went and called, but those jerks at the station wouldn't believe me. When I heard that shovel you threw I hung up and came out, thinking they were trying to kill the cat……I never wanted anyone to get hurt………I've already got enough blood on my hands." Neji walked back out of his sister's room, closing the door behind him. _What? _Hinata thought, _Does he…still blame himself for all that…? _

* * *

WITH NEJI 

He had never really gotten over his guilt. Four people died because of his poorly thought out actions.

_FLASHBACK_

_Neji was in fifth grade, riding home in the front seat of his cousin's SUV. They had gone out to eat, and Neji's cousin had had one too many drinks. Neji tried to persuade him to call their relatives to pick them up, but his cousin had ignored his pleas and drove anyways. Now on the road, Neji was really scared. They were in the middle of the two lanes and were drifting back and fourth._

"_P-please, pull over. Just go over to the side there and I'll use your phone to call my mom."_

"_Nuh-uh. I'm fine ss cn be."_

"_No, Hatori, pull over now!"_

"_Ah said um ok!"_

_Neji, feeling there was nothing else that could stop his cousin, grabbed the steering wheel and pulled it to his side. His cousin was totally out of it, but still had the strength to jerk it back towards him. As he did, his foot hit the gas too hard. Neji looked at the van in front of them, knowing they were going to crash. He thought he was going to die, and what he saw made him think he was going to take someone with him. His own eyes met another child's. A young girl, about his age. A child with pink hair. _

* * *

_ Neji woke up in a hospital. The doctors told him he was in a three car pile up. Four adults had died in that accident, he and another child were the only survivors. 'At least the girl is safe,' Neji thought. Then it hit him. 'I grabbed the wheel. I caused Hatori to swerve the car. I killed four people. Ended four lives. It's all my fault.'_

_There was nothing Neji regretted more in life than grabbing that steering wheel._

_END FLASHBACK_

* * *

**so, how do yall like it? remember, 200 reviews or 2,000 hits, i'll give you all a link to a pic of someone from my story! exciting, no? as of now i have 1,577 hits and 32 reviews. i guess you all are going for the 2,000 hits prize. whatever. **

**i choose you! chimera-chan!**

**iamsarcasm **_  
_


	9. Chapter 9

**i'm so tired right now, my body is shaking. BUT the words for this chapter just came into my head and i didnt want to loose it! saaaaa, i know it's short, but what, do you want me to die of sleep deprivation?**

**please...no one answer that...**

**disclaimer: naruto is not mine. end of discussion.**

words and stuff _thoughts and stuff _

* * *

  
"S-Sakura! What happened t-to your eye?!" Hinata had gotten a ride to school so she hadn't seen Sakura on the bus.

Sakura was sporting some black skinny jeans, a dark green turtleneck, and a dark green headband. Oh, and she had a black eye.

"N-nothing. Nothing happened." Usually people would leave her alone, despite her injuries. Sakura wasn't used to having to make excuses, and for that reason she was really bad at it.

"Sakura, there really is something wrong with your eye, it's like, three different shades of purple," Naruto had leaned over his desk in math class to see what Hinata was talking about.

"Let me see your eye." Sasuke didn't ask her, it was a command.

"E-eh?"

"Turn around, let me see it." Sakura slowly turned, knowing that she couldn't lie to these people. She wasn't a very good liar anyways, and she knew if she didn't tell them now they'd only keep asking. Sakura slowly raised her head to look at Sasuke. He looked at her in silence for a moment.

"Who punched you?"

"Oooh, Sasuke's gonna punch whoever punched his girlfriend!" Naruto's mind was one that changed subjects frequently. It wasn't that he didn't care, he just had ADD. Or ADHD, whichever you prefer to call it.

"Shut up Naruto or I'll punch you!"

"Shut up both of you or I'll send you to the office." Kakashi was now turned from the chalkboard and looking at them. In fact, so was the whole class.

"S-sorry," both boys mumbled. As Kakashi turned back to his lesson, Sasuke stared at the back of Sakura's head. _Who the hell punched her? _

* * *

  
After math, Sasuke went up to Sakura at her locker.

"You never told me who it was." Sakura looked up at him.

"…It's not important."

"Yes it is."

"No, really, you don't have to—"

"I want to know." Sasuke looked straight at her. Sakura shifted her eyes away. He wasn't going to give up on this, was he? No, he wouldn't and that was obvious. Simply the tone of his voice gave it away. _But…if I tell him, what if he get's mad and tells his father? What if my aunt looses her job or something? She'll know it was me……she'll hit me again, or send me to an orphanage……I'm scared. Or what if he confronts my aunt, then she'll really know. I'm scared of what she'll do to me._

"Sakura?" Sasuke released her from her thoughts. "Come on, is it really that bad? So much so that you can't tell anybody?" His voice had softened considerably and he looked at her with concern.

"I…I…I'm scared…" This took him by surprise.

"What are you scared of?" Sakura shuddered slightly and looked down at her hands, which were clenched together.

"I…I…I'm scared she'll take me away!" Sakura started crying and flung herself onto Sasuke.

"Please sob don't hic tell her! She'll, she'll sobsob she'll hit me again!" Sakura clung to Sasuke as if for dear life while he put one arm around her and stroked her head with his other. Neither of them noticed that the halls were almost empty, that they were going to be late for class, or that they were getting confused stares from the few students in the hallway.

"I sob I don't wanna go to the orphanage! I hic don't wanna get hit! Please don't tell!" Sakura was hysterical. Sasuke couldn't help but be angry at the person who caused Sakura so much pain and fear.

"I'm not going to tell. I won't get you in trouble. It's ok Sakura. You're all right. You're all right now. Shh." All he could do was hold her and try to comfort her as best he could. He really didn't know what else to do. If he went and confronted this "she" Sakura was talking about, it would only cause trouble for her later. Sasuke hated seeing her like this, it brought him pain. He had to admit, he had feelings for the girl. A pretty, new girl comes into his class. Later she turns out to be some sort of magical girl. Sasuke used to be so bored with his life. He used to wish for something interesting, something out-of-the-ordinary to happen. Well now he had it, and he had absolutely no clue what to do. Sakura's sobs were calming. Sasuke looked down at her. He saw a girl crying with her face buried in his chest. She looked like a normal girl. Although, she was shaking. A lot. He remembered her saying how she did that because she wasn't used to feeling someone else's warmth. How…lonely must that have been?

* * *

**it's...done. i'll try to update tomorrow. now must sleep.**

**oh yeah, yall are at...1,616 hits and 35 reviews. maybe tomorrow i'll end up posting your 2,000 hit prize. maybe...**

**i am always lurking in the shadows of life,**

**iamsarcasm **


	10. Chapter 10

**for those who've been waiting, this chapter is totally sasuxsaku. it's rather short, but it gets my point across.** **as of now the sifl and olly song 'laser eyes' is palying in my head.**

**"i've got laser eyes**

**and i know what you're thinking**

**comes as no surprise**

**christmas lights are blinking"**

**if you feel the sudden urge to attack me for making the chapter so short, please, restrain yourself. i have multiple chimeras and i know how to use them.**

**disclaimer: naruto. it ain't mine.**

words and stuff _thoughts and flashbacks and stuff _

* * *

Sakura was sitting under a willow tree in a nearby park. Sasuke had taken her there in hopes of calming her. 

_SHORT FLASHBACK_

"_B-but…are you sure it's ok to just leave school like this?"_

"_Yeah, I do it all the time. They really don't care as long as you're not out robbing a bank or selling drugs or stuff of that nature. Come on."_

_END_

Now they were sitting under the willow that sat by a small stream in the park. A place Sasuke said he liked to go to when he wanted to clear his mind, or get over his writers' block. Sakura liked the small breeze, but the topic of conversation made her uneasy.

"So your aunt hit you?"

"Y-yes…" Sasuke's face was unreadable at the moment.

"What the hell kind of guardian goes around punching their kid? I can understand spanking young ones but……and I really can't imagine you doing something to provoke her." _I know. It's not my fault…this time. _Sakura was a little curious of Sasuke now.

"What kind of family do you have?" he went silent for a moment, "…Y-you don't have to tell me."

"No, it's ok…………I live with my parents and my older brother. My brother's in college now and my dad's a hot shot businessman. He's training my brother to take it over some day. Always gets mad at me though. He says I should be looking into a more 'practical' field of study. Says writing stories and opinions on stuff won't get me anywhere," he looked at a drooping branch in front of him, deep in thought, "Not that I care. I'm gonna still do it anyways. My mom thinks I should do whatever speaks to me, she said she'll even help pay for a creative studies college if dad absolutely won't. My dad…he thinks everything should be done traditionally, like ducks in a row or something. He's the reason I'm writing, really. I had gotten so bored with life, and then I found I could make everything interesting, make it all different, on a blank sheet of paper."

Sakura was really intrigued by Sasuke's story. It was like getting a look inside his mind.

"One time my dad punched me for my decisions. He said I should be 'thinking about a career that can support me someday.' It was then and only then when I told him what I was really thinking. 'More than half of the people in this world will never really live! The world will pass them by and they'll just watch it. Not me! I'm going to reach out and stop it. Not join it, not conform to it, just stop it long enough to feed it a piece of my mind! Whether anyone likes it or not!'"

Sasuke felt a hand on the side of his face.

"H-huh? Oh, what emotion am I displaying now?" Sakura was looking at him with that same innocently curious glint in her eye.

"Determination," she told him, "This is a new one for me. I've never seen it so close…what's it like?" That last question confused Sasuke.

"What's it like to have a dream? A goal to work for?"

"Y-you mean you've never had one?"

"No…" Sakura was quite and proceeded to take her hand from his face, "I haven't had one, ever. My aunt said…that monsters like me don't deserve to have dreams, or futures."

Sasuke took her hand back, held it to his face again and closed his eyes.

"You shouldn't listen to that woman. You're not a monster, and you have every right to have a dream, like the rest of us." This was the first time anyone had told Sakura that, the first time someone had disagreed with her aunt.

"Sasuke…"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For not seeing me as a monster…" Sasuke opened his eyes to look at her. She now had her eyes closed like his were before, and she was smiling. Sasuke let go of her hand that he held to his, and gently put both on either side of Sakura's face.

"O-oh?" she was a little startled and opened her eyes again.

"Happiness," he looked straight into her eyes. He had never noticed they were a perfect light green.

"It's a new emotion for you." Sakura giggled at his comment.

"But you've seen it before, right?" she was blushing now, "A-aren't I the one who's new to emotions?"

"Yes, but I felt I had to hold it. I didn't want to see your happiness leave."

Sakura didn't know what to say to this. All of this was new to her, the emotions, the kindness, the understanding. She wasn't sure what to say or do. And she was even more unsure of what to do when Sasuke kissed her.

* * *

**so, was it good? yes? no? oh yeah, you all have... 1,884 hits and 40 reviews. i already drew the 2,000 hits prize pic and i'll post it on deviant art and set up the link. when you all reach 2,000 of course! i guess i'd better start on the 100 reviews pic too...**

**thank you all, as always, for enjoying my story! words of appreciation are what motivates me, so please review!**

**yes, i am acquainted with your conscience,**

**iamsarcasm **


	11. Chapter 11

**OK, IT'S OFFICIAL, CHAPTER 11 IS THE MAGICAL CHAPTER! **

**+it's the absolute longest chapter i've written so far!**

**AND**

**+i got 2,281 hits! yay! i'm so happyyyyyyyy! ok now, this is just a random sketch i made of Hinata. make sure to read the artist's comments, and the way to see if good is to click on it for the original size.**

**http://darklykawaii. didnt put too much detail into it. i'm just better with paper than my tablet. XP **

**me and my brilliant mind are at it again! for your 100 review pic, i'll draw sakura! and put even more effort. go effort! woooo!**

**disclaimer: naruto's not mine, but i know some people who'd like him.**

words and stuff _thoughts and stuff_

* * *

  
Hinata was at the table in her house, eating an apple and remembering the day. Naruto had managed to spend three class periods in a one way conversation discussing his thoughts on where Sakura and Sasuke were. It had been pretty boring, considering the fact that he kept going in circles with his ideas. After three class periods, Hinata had drawn a detailed picture of Smoky, Kiba had mastered all 31 settings on his camera, Shikamaru caught up on a good amount of sleep, and Ten Ten had finished all 4 pages of her Spanish homework. After that nobody had anything else to do to aid them in ignoring Naruto, and Ten Ten lost it.

"Oh my GOD NARUTO!!!" she had shouted during their group work in history, "You've been stating the SAME five ideas for THREE hours!!! AAAGH!! STOP IT!!!" After that Ten Ten was sent to the office for disrupting the class, but Naruto finally shut up.

Hinata bit into the apple and spit a few seeds into a napkin when the doorbell rang. She walked over, still munching, and looked through the little eye hole. There was another eye staring back at her, and the fact that the glass in the eye hole magnified things did not do anything in her favor. She jumped and almost screamed, but she had apple in her mouth which made her nearly choke. Swallowing the apple and calming her heart, Hinata opened the front door.

"S-Sakura! I thought I recognized that…eye. Um, why were you looking through there anyways?"

"Isn't that what you do before a home's door opens? I saw it on a movie once."

"…Y-yeah, about that. You only look if you're on the inside. The guy in the movie was in the house, wasn't he?"

"Oh……….."

"A-anyways, come on in! It's been a little while since I've had friends visit."

* * *

"So, why did you come?" Both girls were now in Hinata's room. Hinata sat at her desk while Sakura sat on her bed petting Smoky. Smoky was purring and rubbed his head against her arm.

"Wow, Smoky doesn't like most people. I'm the only one in my house that he doesn't attack." Sakura looked glad to have a subject to talk about.

"Animals have always liked me. It used to scare my parents; everything from squirrels to dogs would just walk right up to me in a park."

"Oh, Sakura…you never did tell me why you came." Sakura was silent for a bit.

"Hinata, hw do human emotions work? Like, what causes most of them?"

"E-eh?! Wow, that's like, a philosopher's question…um, I really don't know what to say to that…my dad's a psychologist. Maybe he could help you answer that."

"Oh…"

"What made you think of that?"

"Oh nothing…"

"Sakura, is something bothering you?" Sakura looked over at the purple-haired girl. She looked truly concerned. _She cares what I think and feel? We……really must be friends._

"Hinata," Sakura's face lit up into a smile, "I'm glad we met!"

"Wha? Um…?"

"I promise I'll tell you later, ok?" Hinata nodded.

"Oh, hey Sakura, are you hungry? There's not much in the house, but I still have a gift card from this cute little smoothie shop. Wanna go?"

"Hm? Ok, that sounds nice."

"Alright, let me go grab my shoes, they're in the computer room, I'll meet you downstairs." Sakura proceeded to the kitchen and the front room while Hinata went to get her shoes. In the front room, she heard someone talking.

"Alright mom, I'll go pick up some food for dinner if you're going to be late….Yeah, it's no problem….No, dad isn't back yet…..Ok, I'll call him…..See you at 9 then. Bye."

It was a boy, with longish hair who looked a little older than Sakura. He had his back turned to her, facing the window, and he was looking at a book as he hung up the phone.

"Man, I can't believe we have to read six chapters of this tonight. Only done with the first…..it's so boring." The boy, who Sakura assumed was Hinata's brother, turned around. When he saw her, he dropped his book and phone.

"H-huh?" Sakura was a little frightened by his expression, which was a mixture of shock and terror. _Sh-she's, _Neji could hardly move due to his fear, _What's wrong with me? I was able to apologize to that other boy. His parents were two of the four killed because of me. Why can't I say anything now?!_ Before either of them could say anything, however, there was a scream from upstairs.

"Smoky?! N-Neji, come quick! There's something wrong with him!"

"A-ah? Hinata?" Sakura looked up towards the stairs and went up soon after. Neji still stood there as if paralyzed.

Sakura came into Hinata's room to see Smoky on the floor near a small pool of blood, shaking as if in a seizure. Hinata was crouched next to him with her hands cupped around her mouth. She was crying.

"I-I…I don't know what to do! sob I don't want to cause him more hic pain!" Sakura had an instinct on what to do in times like this, an instinct build from her childhood. She put her hand over Smoky and felt his feelings become one with hers. The source of the pain was in his heart, the cat was having a heart attack. His pain was her pain now, and Sakura allowed a cool wave of an aura wash over the both of them. The pain in her disappeared, and Smoky calmed soon after. He lay on the floor, breathing steadily as if asleep.

"S-Sakura?" She opened her eyes to look at her friend.

"He'll be okay now, Hinata." Sakura felt relieved.

"B-but, what was that light?"

"What light?"

"The purple light that sniff came from your hand when Smoky calmed." Sakura had no idea that any light was emitted when she performed her magic. She had always had her eyes closed. _I guess that explains why mom never wanted me to use them. People would automatically know._

"Ngh!" Sakura grabbed at her own heart. Why was it doing this? She couldn't be…having the cat's heart attack?! _It hurts! Wha? What's happening?_ Suddenly she remembered what Sasuke had told her a while back.

_SHORT FLASHBACK_

_Sasuke was silent for a moment, "In my creative writing studies, I once came across a book on humans with……unique powers. The powers of creation and destruction. When those humans use their powers for creation, a part of them gets destroyed. And when they destroy, a part of them gets healed."_

_END_

Sakura realized that she had just taken on the burden of the cat's heart attack. _But why? I've saved animals before! Why is this any different?! _ Sakura felt herself fall to the ground from her kneeling position and heard Hinata run off screaming for Neji. _N-no…I won't give it back. I won't kill Hinata's cat! Not after I just saved him!_ Sakura winced at the pain she was in and felt something tickle her forehead. She opened one eye and saw Smoky, licking her, as if to try and help her. His eyes looked like he was saying 'thank you' and 'I'm sorry.'

* * *

Sakura woke up in a hospital. She had done this too many times before. On the other side of door she could hear voices, four familiar ones and one unfamiliar one. She could hear Hinata, explaining what happened as best she could; Naruto, who kept yelling 'WHAT HAPPENED?!' despite Hinata's efforts; Sasuke, who was telling Naruto to shut up and telling Hinata to go on; and Ten Ten, who was saying something to the unfamiliar voice about how they didn't have to apologize. Sakura assumed that the unfamiliar voice was Hinata's brother, Neji…or something. It hurt a bit to think too much. All she could remember easily was, _ Is the cat ok? _

A nurse came into her room and as the door opened, the voices could be heard more clearly.

"Oh, you're awake." The minute those words left the nurse's mouth, five people tried to run through the door at the same time.

"A-ah! You can't come in here until the doctor—hey!" Four of them started talking at once, only Neji stayed quite, giving Sakura an apologetic and half-guilty look.

"OHMYGODSAKURAAREYOUOK?!?!?!?!?!?!?!" Naruto was by far the loudest.

"Sakura, what happened? You helped Smoky and then…?" Hinata looked a little scared.

"Sakura! I was driving when I saw Sasuke and Naruto. I stopped to say hi but they were on the phone so I waited. Apparently Naruto forgot the homework so he called Hinata which was weird 'cause Sasuke was right there but, hey, it's Naruto. Then Hinata told them what happened and Sasuke practically carjacked me!" Ten Ten's story was rather long and Sakura had to think hard to remember everything she said.

"I think I know what happened." Sasuke was rather quiet but she still heard him. She was deadly curious as to what he had to say, but she couldn't find her voice. She also wanted to ask Hinata how her cat was.

"You all get out of here now!!! The patient still needs to rest!!!!"

"But she's our friend. We're just worried."

"SECURITY!!!!!"

All five ran out as quickly as they came in.

* * *

**you all like it? i am very proud of myself here! we have done well, havent we? there's 44 reviews! yer goin towards 100 reviews! happyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!**

**i like final fantasy,**

**iamsarcasm **


	12. Chapter 12

**YAY! i finished this chapter! i can update on dial-up! i had sushi tonight! ok, whatever. we have brought you chapter 12 with amazing agility.**

**we are so proud. so how did you all like the 2k hits pic? was it ok? i put more stuff on my DA profile, if yer interested.**

**I got over 100 hits on my fanfiction profile! so i drew you all a picture! **

i just realized thought, that the links never showed up for either. so now, please go to my profile!!!!!!!!!!

**it's Sakura, here to thank you on my behalf! please check it out. i draw much better with paper and pencil than with my tablet!**

**disclaimer: naruto's not mine. got it memorized?**

words and stuff _thoughts and stuff_

* * *

Sakura stood outside and took a deep breath of fresh air. She had been let out of the hospital not only due to a 92 percent recovery at a miraculous pace, but also due to her aunt throwing a hissy fit over the phone. She was screaming at the nurses and doctors about the cost of all this and did everything but blackmail to get them to cut Sakura's visit short. Now the pink haired teen was standing outside next to Sasuke, who was telling her what he knew. 

"I told you before that I used to be bored with my life. Well, during that time, I read a lot of books on different folklores, fairy tales, and urban legends. The closest thing to you that I came across to you I told you about, those with the power to destroy and create. Well, it goes into more depth than that." Sasuke looked at the sunset as he spoke.

"I'd like to hear it," Sakura's voice was calm, but inside she was very excited. Excited to learn about what she could be, and excited to be around the one person who accepted her for what she was.

"They," he started, "They were a people who just showed up one day. In cities and towns all over the world, they appeared without knowing where they came from or where they were going. All of them, even the adults, had a certain air of innocence around them. They were new and unfamiliar to the ways of the world. When a citizen died, they cried, without even having known the person. When people argued, they went to stop it, even if it left them at a disadvantage. The people who just appeared on the earth were the very definition of pure. They were the closest thing humans had to angels. As if to strengthen that angel theory, when someone was sick, they could always heal them. If a child was lost, they would simply pet a town dog, and the animal would run into the woods and return with the child later. They seemed to spend their days helping everyone, these angels. And then they began to die."

"But, doesn't everyone?"

"They said the 'angels' died in the strangest of ways. That no possible autopsy could find the cause and not even the best medicine could prevent. Even the young ones, after working large feats of magic, would die suddenly. In one city, there was an angel who said he could feel himself dying and locked himself away to his house. The only one who would go and see him was a young girl, whose Seeing Eye dog was saved by the angel. She would come every day to talk and keep him company, and with every visit, the man grew more and more jealous. Why did she get to be healthy and living, while he had to die? This blind girl hadn't helped anyone like he did. One day when the girl came to visit him, he attacked her. Neighbors said there was glass breaking up and down the street, and when they went past his house they said the air felt thick, as if haunted by a bad aura. They opened the door, and found the once deteriorating man as healthy as could be, and the girl with her dog, dead on the ground. The man was sentenced to life in prison for murder, but he lived another 80 years with no health problems. After that, people were weary of the angels, and tended to discriminate against them. The truth was, however, that people were afraid of their powers, and wanted to set in their minds that humans were better, so that they wouldn't lash out at anyone. Some angels did anyways, to see if killing would really postpone their own deaths, and it did. The ones who weren't caught doing this, or the ones who didn't at all, fled to different cities and countries, claiming to be travelers and eventually mixed in with the population. Sakura, someone in your family must have been an angel, for you to have those powers."

Sakura was so intrigued by Sasuke's story that she almost didn't notice that he wasn't talking anymore.

"S-Sasuke, would you happen to know where I could meet anyone like me?"

"No, I'm sorry. That I don't know. You're the first 'angel' I've ever met." Sakura was a little disappointed at this. All her life she'd been alone and hated, with no one who would understand. Now that she knew that there were others like her out there…it made her want to go look for them right this minute.

"What an interesting story. Is that what people learn nowadays? What, was that on the summer reading list?" Sakura and Sasuke turned around to see a girl with blonde hair behind them.

"Dear Lord, that was a sappy story-ugh!" the girl paused for a minute for a coughing fit, "Augh, hmm, sigh it's a real pity that that's the legacy of my people. Geez, you'd think they'd make it more interesting, doesn't everything these days get stretched way far past the truth?"

"Your people? Then you must be—"

"An angel. Yeah. Or freak, witch, demon, whatever you wanna call us, I really don't care anymore." Knowing this made Sakura take a closer look at the girl. She had light blonde hair with sky blue streaks in it. She was wearing a red and black "Emily the Strange" t-shirt with a red and black striped "Skelanimals" hoodie. Her jeans were the same color blue as her hair with neon yellow lightning bolts down the side and she was wearing beat up dark red Converse. To say the least, she didn't look like someone out of an old fairy tale. Then again, Sakura's pink hair would throw you off, too.

"Oh! H-hello! It's very nice to meet someone like me!" Sakura held out her hand, which the girl raised an eyebrow at.

"I don't like touching people," she replied, with one eyebrow still in the air. It's movement gave notice to a silver eyebrow piercing and dark blue eyeliner.

"Oh? I'm sorry. M-may I ask your name? Mine's Sakura, and this here with me is Sasuke. If you're going to stay here, and go to school, we're in the 10th grade."

"………….Temari, 10th grade also. I got detained."

"Ah, don't worry about that. We've got a friend, Ten Ten, who's a junior but still has most of the sophomore classes. You'll fit in fine."

Temari's rather blank expression quickly changed to into one of anger.

"I wasn't **detained **because I was **stupid**. I was detained**simply **for being a **freak of nature**!" she glared at the both of them while saying this.

"No one **said **they thought you were stupid," Sasuke retorted coolly, "I was simply **stating **a fact for you." This caused Temari's glare to deepen.

"Hmnn, I don't really think I'm going to **like either** of you, but since I'll be here for a while I guess I'll just have to suck it up," she started towards them, causing Sasuke to tense and Sakura to recoil slightly. However, she walked right past them.

"HA! What, ya thought I was gonna getcha? What**ever**. Later kids."

Sakura and Sasuke shared a look. Temari did not, in any way, fit either of their ideas of what a self-aware angel would be like.

* * *

**OMG! i luv temari's outfit! i would so totally wear that everywhere!!!!!**

**anyways, yall are halfway through to the 100 reviews. for that, ill either draw temari, or sakura and temari. i'll decide...eventually...**

**please also check out my art and tell me what you think. i'm an artist. i write and draw. such is the story of my life. um...what am i talking about now???**

**NO JOHNNY, i don't want a burger, i'm VEGETARIAN,**

**iamsarcasm **


	13. Chapter 13

**hi dudes! im so happy you all like what i've been doing so far! i am so very happyyyyyyyy!**

**anyways, this chapter mainly puts temari into the story, basically giving her a place to start as a character. i luv all of her outfits! she's a really fun character to write about, actually. i like how she turned out and i hope you all do too!**

**disclaimer: naruto is not mine.**

words and stuff _thoughts and flashbacks and stuff_

* * *

"Ok class," it was now a Friday and Sakura and her friends were sitting in eighth hour biology.

"I know it's really late," Asuma sensei continued, "But we have a new student." Everyone turned to the now opening door.

"Please welcome your newest classmate, Temari."

Temari now stood in the doorway, looking a mixture of bored and tired. Today she was sporting a white cami under a blue hoodie that matched the blue in her hair. She had a sparkly red studded belt and dark red jeans, with red and blue checkered Vans to pull it all together. The class just stared at her, not knowing what to say.

"Ok then," Asuma broke the silence, "Temari, you came rather late in the day. At the end of it, actually."

"I was tired so I slept late. Are you going to tell me to wake up earlier, regardless of my sleep? I thought the most important thing for growing children was sleep. Isn't it right up there with eating right? What a strange adult."

Asuma looked at her, "Well…here, have a seat at the desk in the back, while I find you a guide for tomorrow."

"Yes to the desk. No to the guide. I don't get along with people." Asuma just looked at her.

"sigh I guess due to this distraction, class, you won't be too keen on coming back to the lesson. Well, we've got 15 minutes left. Don't forget your homework." The class erupted into chatter as Temari made her way to the empty desk in the back. They weren't technically desks, but tables for two. This was biology after all.

"Hello, Temari," Sakura was at the table in front of her with Sasuke, "So you did come!"

"Yeah, what's it too ya?"

"Wow," Ten Ten was at the table by the window beside Sakura and Sasuke, she shared the table with Kiba, "It's good to have another junior in here!"

"Don't compare me to you!"

"H-hello, Temari. I hope you'll like it here, the school is nice," Hinata was directly across from Temari, at a window table with Naruto.

"HI TEMARI! YOU'LL FEEL WELCOME IN NO TIME!" Naruto jumped out of his chair and went to hug Temari.

"Gh—GYAAH!" she screamed and leaned as far as she could from the other blonde. Naruto had a puzzled look on his face, Sakura was remembering last night when she wanted to shake Temari's hand, and Ten Ten and Kiba were trying not to laugh.

"Um, what's wrong with you?" Naruto asked her.

"G-get away from me! I-I…d-don't like t-touching other people!" Temari was shaking slightly.

"Well then, you should be a little more observant," Sasuke was pointing behind her. Temari was so wrapped up in her fear of being hugged that she hadn't noticed she was leaning on her desk partner's shoulder.

"NYAAAH!" Temari jumped out of her chair and hugged her knees, trembling by the wall. Kiba and Ten Ten burst out laughing.

"Group over in the back, keep it down." They all had made enough noise to get on the usually patient teacher's nerves.

"T-Temari, are you okay?" both Sakura and Hinata said at the same time.

"N-n-nggh!" She was still shaking, "Why are there so many of you? WHY?" Temari kicked her desk partner's chair rather hard.

"Hmm," the owner of the chair sat up, "Geez, why are you all so loud? Can't a guy get any sleep?" It was Shikamaru who Temari shared a table with.

"You! For future references keep your distance from me!" Temari shouted at the back of his head.

"I believe," Shikamaru turned to face her, "That you were the one who leaned into me."

"I DON'T CARE! JUST STAY AWAY!"

_Hm,_Shikamaru thought, _It's not too bright to display your weaknesses to people you've just met. But…man, this chick has a serious phobia._ Temari had yelled herself into a coughing fit, earning another question of concern from Sakura and Hinata.

"Ugh," Temari sat back in her chair, "I don't like you. Any of you. I hope all of you die, very soon."

Shikamaru decided to put the wild girl in her place. He put his arm around her shoulders.

"Don't be a jerk."

"Gyunnnnnnn!" Temari froze with the occasional tremble. When Shikamaru removed his arm she slumped away from him.

"I….h-hate….all of…….you…."

At least now she was quiet, and Shikamaru could go back to sleep.

* * *

The next day was Saturday, and Sakura, Hinata, Sasuke, and Naruto were at a 7-Eleven when Naruto had a great idea.

"Why don't we have a sleepover?!?!?!" he had shouted it so all the people in the store were now looking at him. Sasuke dragged him outside while talking about an inside voice and Hinata and Sakura hastily paid.

"But it would be fun! It's been a while since we all got together! And Sakura's never been to one of our sleepovers!"

"It does sound fun," Sakura received a huge smile from Naruto for supporting his idea.

"Yeah! We can get Kiba and Ten Ten and Shikamaru and Temari—"

"Temari?"

"Yeah! She's friends with us!"

"Well, if you look back on, oh say…yesterday…"

_FLASHBACK_

_At the end of the day, Hinata was walking with Ten Ten and Temari. They were asking her questions while waiting for the others to get back from their lockers._

"_What's your family like?"_

"_I had two brothers, a mother and a father."_

"_Oh, I'm sorry…"_

"_What? You think __had__ means they died. No, the only dead one is my mom."_

"_Oh……hey, ya got any hobbies?"_

"_Looking at the sky, feeding wild birds, taking pictures of birds, eating people-"_

"_WHAT?!"_

"_Just wanted to see if you were listening."_

"_Um…why did you come here?"_

"_Cause I had to leave all the other places I stayed at. Duh."_

_Hinata and Ten Ten had learned little about the girl, and she still seemed not to like them._

_END FLASHBACK_

"Yeah, but she's still in our group," Naruto stated.

"Only because she sits by us, and no one else in the class will even talk to her," Sasuke pointed out. Everyone went silent. There was a chuckling behind them.

"Man, that store feat was funny! Do you even think before you open your mouth?"

The group turned to see Temari standing with a Dr. Pepper.

"Hey Temari! Wanna come to a sleepover with us?" Naruto jumped up and Temari stepped back, thinking he would try to hug her again.

"Meh…maybe. Not like I have anything else to do. I'll think about it." She walked past them mumbling to herself. Only Sakura heard her.

"man, what, they accept me. well, this is a first. they don't even know what I am."

* * *

**sigh, i've been having trouble putting my KH parody online. if i do, do any of you want the link?**

**and yes, i do have a life, i'm just on my 2 week winter break now. **

**ascending through the cosmos and escorted by techno music,**

**iamsarcasm **


	14. Chapter 14

**hello everyone! we are back, and here to say:**

**"buy my zebra brain lunchboxes!!!" **

**if you have never watched sifl and olly, go on youtube right now, read this later...or vice versa...**

**this is my longest chapter, i think, and you all are, like, a little less than 100 hits until i post the Temari pic. **

**i also have...67 reviews...i think, so for the 100 reviews pic i will draw sakura and temari together.**

**sound good? great.**

**disclaimer: you know the drill.**

words and stuff _thoughts and flashbacks and stuff_

* * *

"Ahh!!!" Ten Ten screamed at Temari's screen saver. It was a freaky picture of an old lady fused with a cat's wide open mouth.

Naruto's idea of a sleepover was shot down, not only because of the short notice, but also due to the face that it would have been boy-girl. So instead, everyone had gotten together at Hinata's house for a study party. Not that there was much studying going on. Temari had arrived a few minutes ago in a purple mini dress with knee-high boots and a cloud choker (the ones in the sky, not final fantasy…when I saw the word it made me think of that). Shikamaru had mumbled something about Temari being hot, but no one noticed. She brought her laptop and started typing something while everyone just joked around, but when Ten Ten came over and asked what she was doing Temari proceeded to show her some creepy pics.

"Oh God Temari, I think I'm gonna have nightmares!" Ten Ten said that, but still watched the slideshow. Some of them were rather interesting photos of animals fused with people.

"I made most of these myself," Temari said, "A few I just keep around for ideas and such."

"Wow, you're a pretty good animator." The minute Ten Ten said this, everyone rushed over to the computer. Sakura and Hinata got freaked and went back and the boys just stood there with slightly scared looks on their faces.

"Um, Temari, is your head alright?" Naruto asked while looking at a freakishly realistic photo of a horse with a child's head running over a child with a horse's head.

Temari turned to glare at him, "Yes, I am perfectly fine. My mind just works differently than others'."

"Is that why you got that nose piercing?" Kiba asked. Temari had a stud in the right side of her nose, it hadn't been there before. When asked why, she said Kiba inspired her. When asked how, she said it was all that talking about his dog. Kiba asked how talking about a dog could make someone want to get a nose piercing and Temari told him when she thinks of dogs, she thinks of their good sense of smell, and that made her think of noses.

"I suppose one could say that's the cause," Temari answered, going back to her computer. Ten Ten looked over out the window for a minute and saw Neji in the yard.

"I'll…be right back guys."

"Ok, we'll call the S.W.A.T. team if you never come back!" Naruto called to her.

"Thanks Naruto," Ten Ten replied sarcastically.

* * *

Ten Ten walked out onto the patio to see Neji fixing some chicken wire around his mom's garden. 

"You know, it's your house too," Ten Ten's words made him jump.

"Don't scare me like that, Ten Ten!"

"I'm just saying, you'd never choose to do this stuff without your mom nagging you a mile a minute. You don't have to hide from either of them." He winced slightly at her words. Neji and Ten Ten grew up together. She was with him when he broke his leg, she was sitting next to him in the office when they got caught for changing the elementary school flag with an old Superman pillowcase, and she was listening to his story when he talked about the accident. And she was there with him when he apologized to Naruto for killing his parents. Ten Ten was totally prepared to stand by him when he told Sakura.

"Ten Ten…no…"

"You've got to tell her. Not for her sake, for your's. I know if you don't you'll just spend the rest of your life regretting that you never did."

"Ten Ten, no."

"If you really feel you can't, cause you don't know her, Hinata would-"

"Just leave me alone about this! It's my decision! Whatever I choose to do, I'm going to have to live with it, not you!" Ten Ten was a little taken aback by his shouting, but she understood his point. She knew he'd hate himself if he never told Sakura, but he was also afraid. Afraid of Sakura's reaction. Naruto's parents were two cars ahead, but still got caught up in the crash, and died. When Neji apologized, Naruto went insane and tried to attack him. They were on a bridge at the time, and when Naruto realized he couldn't get past Ten Ten's defense, he tried to jump. Ten Ten, who seconds ago was blocking the boy's punches, was now halfway over the railing, trying to hold onto Naruto as Neji pulled them back up. Now, Sakura didn't seem like she would swing at Neji, but he was afraid that she'd try to hurt herself.

"Survivor guilt," Neji broke the silence, "It really does a number on you…"

"Yeah," Ten Ten replied, "I can see that."

* * *

Ten Ten walked back inside to see Hinata standing in the hallway to the kitchen. 

"What's up Hinata? You look kinda flustered," Ten Ten noted as she approached her best friend's sister.

"Um, n-nothing. Nothing really…"

"Come on, I know you better than that, something's on your mind."

"Um…Temari's pictures…?" Ten Ten hadn't noticed the hint of question in the girl's excuse and laughed slightly while nodding and walking away into the main room.

_What?_Hinata thought, _What did I just hear?_

_FLASHBACK_

_Temari had walked into the kitchen to get a drink. Hinata had told her to help herself, so she would. She saw Sakura looking out the kitchen window. _

"_What you lookin' at?" Temari walked up to the window to see a boy about her age out in the yard._

"_He's…Hinata's brother, I think. He never talks to me, and he leaves whenever I'm around…" Sakura couldn't figure out why he didn't like her._

"_Maybe he knows," Temari's comment earned a shocked look from Sakura, "Hey, it's a possibility. That Sasuke dude found out, maybe you're just not good at keeping secrets." Someone stopped in the doorway. _

"_But, why would he hate me? I haven't done-"_

"_Get used to it, people are gonna discriminate you for being a demon."_

"_I liked the term 'angel' better…"_

"_Suck it up. Life's gonna be harsh for you, in case you haven't noticed already. People who don't even know you are gonna hate you. It's better if you just learn to deal with it or run away from it all."_

"_Is that why you came here?" Temari looked at Sakura. Her look expressed anger, but not at Sakura herself. It seemed that her anger was directed at the past. The person in the doorway stepped to the side behind a wall, but still listened. _

"_Yeah, call me a coward, but I ran like a scared kitten. I really couldn't take it anymore," Temari turned from the window and leaned against the counter, "I had already experienced the loss of the one person who accepts you, and the massive hate and pain that follows, so I thought I could handle another life. Start over in a new town, that's what I tried. And it got me back at square one. I met this one kid, an orphan, he was roaming the streets one day and I happened to pass by. Some how we became friends, visiting each other everyday. One day, he got hit by a car. Died from it, too. And the guy who hit him was all like, 'Ah, well, just one less homeless rat we gotta watch our bags from.' It pissed me off, and I lashed out, killing three people. Up until then, I had used my magic for healing, so killing people was a shock for me. I swear I could've heard my mother scolding me that day. Prolly didn't happen though…mom's long been dead. First person who loved me that I lost. And then I realized, who ever cares about me just ends up dying. So I traveled from town to town, keeping my distance from people and leaving when I felt some sort of connection. It's…been a while since I've had a home."_

_Sakura looked at her with understanding._

"_You can stay here. It's alright."_

"_Yeah, and kill off someone in this happy little group? You can fit in here if you want, that Sasuke dude seems to like you despite your freak powers, but me, eventually I'll just leave."_

"_Are you going to do that your whole life? Going from town to town, living in loneliness?"_

"_Is my magic gonna kill another person?" Temari stood up and walked out, "I'd rather not take that chance again. That's something I don't wanna test and find out."_

_Sakura stood in silence, but left soon after. She passed by a dying houseplant, and touched it. It immediately sprung back to life, and she walked back to where everyone was. _

_The person in the other doorway came out to look at the plant. A thin finger traced one of the plant's leaves. Hinata looked at the place where Temari and Sakura had stood. 'I know it's rude to eavesdrop…I'm sorry.'_

_END FLASHBACK_

Hinata stood where Ten Ten had left her. She didn't know what to believe anymore. Were Sakura and Temari being truthful, talking like they were magic folk? They seemed too serious to be lying or joking around. And those two events she had with Sakura; when the people from Sakura's old school came, and the incident with Smoky. Those were like little time bits of proof.

_According to them, Sasuke seems to know something, _Hinata thought to herself before getting what she originally wanted from the fridge and heading back, _I'll have to ask him about it…sometime._

* * *

**me and my brilliant mind are at it again! please review and stuff! that is the source of my motivation!**

**let's go to planet rock,**

**iamsarcasm **


	15. Chapter 15

**this chapter was brought to you in part by: **Daughter of Unending Darkness, **whose idea was my cornerstone to build off of. thank you! **

**i will post the 4,000 hits pic tomorrow! remember, every 2,000!**

**and you all are at 73 reviews. keep on going!**

**the day after tomorrow (HA funny movie!) which is also known as monday the 7th, my school will be starting up again (damn). i will try my best to keep updates to every day, or every other day, but i may miss some due to massive homework and busy schedule (yes, i do have a life! astonishing, no?). but let me tell you, weekends will be your treat days! i will try to update every day of the weekend! unless, of course, i'm sick or out of town, but i'll try to give you all a heads up on long term absences (ha, sounds like a job). **

**disclaimer: see any previous chapter.**

words and stuff

_thoughts and flashbacks and stuff_

* * *

It was Tuesday, three days after the little study get-together. Sakura had gotten sick and hadn't showed up at school. Hinata had informed everyone of that when she had helped a near barfing Sakura back to her house. 

"Eh, figures, we're real susceptible to colds and such," Temari had mumbled to herself.

"What was that?" Shikamaru had heard her say something.

"Ahh…n-nothing. You just go back to sleep."

* * *

WITH SAKURA 

It was about the time that school let out when Sakura heard the doorbell ring. Her aunt wasn't home yet so she shuffled out of bed, smoothed her hair and answered it. _I wonder if it's Hinata or Sasuke, with any missed work. Speaking of which, Hinata's been acting a little strange lately, I wonder—OH! _It was neither Sasuke nor Hinata at the door, but Neji. _Hinata's brother…the one who doesn't seem to like me._

"Oh, h-hello. May…I help you?" Sakura was unsure as to why someone who didn't even talk to her would come to her door.

"Hi…my, name's…Neji. I'm Hinata's…brother." Neji seemed to be having trouble speaking. _God dammit! I have to do this…Ten Ten's right, if I don't I'll never forgive myself!_

"Yes, I've seen you around before." _But why are you here if you don't like me?_

"I have something…I need to apologize for…" _Just SAY it! I'm sorry for killing a member of your family. I can think it but I'm afraid of what she'll do if I…_

"And…that would be…?" _I don't think you have done any wrong._

"About eight years ago…you were probably in fourth grade…you were in a car accident. I was informed that a member of your family died in that. I…I was the cause of that accident, and of your family member's death. I am……..I'm so sorry, Sakura."

"…………………" Sakura felt as if the world had come to a halt, but she was still spinning.

"Please…you don't even have to forgive me…"

"……………………….."

"I just wanted you to know."

"……………………"

"I felt you had that right, as a victim."

"………………."

"Sakura…?

"Ok fine."

"Come again?"

"Ok fine."

"What are you-"

"It's fine. Everything's fine. Just go back to your life now."

"What? Sakura, I'm-"

Sakura looked up from the spot on the ground she was staring at, "If it's blame or hate you want, I'm sorry but I have none of that to give."

"That all was my fault. You can tell me if you're mad, or hit me if you want. I wasn't the one who tried to stop Naruto." _Then, _Sakura thought, _that third car…_

"It isn't nice to blame people," Sakura said while stepping back and closing the door, "Nothing good comes out of it and everyone involved gets hurt. I'll never blame you…one…..bit."

A dumbfound Neji stood on the doorstep, feeling slightly relieved, and yet, a little worse than before.

Sakura walked up to her room as if in a trance. She didn't feel like she was inside herself anymore. There were many thoughts running through her head. Neji, who she hadn't even known, felt guilty for something that wasn't meant to happen to her. Naruto, when he shouted about being a famous artist, always looked up. It wasn't his ADD, it was the child part inside of him, wanting his parents to see him. So many thoughts in her head, Sakura almost heard a ringing as they flew. She banded her head on her door in a feeble attempt to stop it. When the door closed, she lost her balance and fell, taking an end table with her. Her aunt's cell phone, that she had been told to use only in near-death situations, fell at her side. Sakura reached out for it, and stared at the device in her hand. She could remember everything. She had never been unconscious.

FLASHBACK

_Sakura's gaze was met with headlights. The last thing she saw before the horrible sound was a young boy's terrified face, and the last thing she smelled was alcohol. Then it came. The horrible crunching of metal that drove all her other senses away. Sakura felt an intense pressure in her stomach. All of a sudden her right arm and leg went cold. She felt like she was on her head when the voices came. Two male ones, and one female one._

"_Now hurry! There's still this car!"_

"_My God there's a kid in here!"_

"_Another one? I just pulled out a boy from the last car!" _

"_Help me get this man out!"_

"_Coming!"_

_Well, they found my uncle……and at least the boy is safe……_

_Those were Sakura's thoughts as she felt herself being strapped down and carried off._

_END FLASHBACK_

She hadn't realized it, but she had been crying as the pressed the buttons on the phone. An annoyed voice answered.

"Itold you not to call me at work unless-" Sakura didn't even know why she called this person, but she needed to hear a voice.

"Auntie…………Auntie, he killed him!" Sakura almost couldn't keep her sobs silent anymore.

"What the hell are you talking about? Was there a murder in my house?!"

"Auntie! Neji killed Uncle!!" Sakura started crying a full onslaught now, and her aunt hung up.

Fifteen minutes later, Sakura heard a knock on her door.

"Open the door, fool." She opened it to her aunt, Kana Haruno, still in her work suit.

"What are you crying for? Suck it up, kid……I'm the one who should be cryin', he was my husband. Sakura ran and hugged the woman, desperate for someone to be there. Kana just stood still in the embrace.

"You know, I always felt a little jealous of you," Kana told her, "my husband spent so much time with you…I guess you needed it, but still. That's when the seeds of my hate were sewn. I felt so alone at that time, and it didn't seem fair. You were a freak…but he loved you, and so I never acted on my feelings. When he died…I needed someone to blame, I guess. Then, when your mother, my sister, left you here with me and ran off, I couldn't take it anymore. I was all alone with a freak of a child. But…you're gonna be alright, Sakura. He loved you despite your being a freak. I never wanted to hate you, but when he died and my sister left I couldn't hold it in anymore," Kana pushed away from her niece, "Maybe people like you are better off alone……kinda like people like me."

Kana descended down the stairs while Sakura stared at her back. Did she hate Sakura…or not? That little speech confused the young Haruno, but it gave her the feeling that she wouldn't be hit anymore. Sakura also felt a great cloud lift from her mind.

_She…called me a person…_

* * *

The next day, Sakura had come to school. She had patted Naruto on the head when he looked upwards in class, found Neji and gave him a spontaneous hug, and told the whole story to Temari. 

"Oh, well, that's all nice. But why tell it to me?" Temari had given her a blank look.

"I felt you should hear it. Just to let you know………maybe there really is hope in this world for people like us…"

"Yeah, and I'm Chuck Norris."

"No, really Temari! I'm being serious! Why are you always like this?"

"Cause I've already lost everything twice and I don't care to loose it again!"

"You don't have to," Sakura tilted her head back to look across the hall, past Temari, "Maybe this time'll be different."

"For you, not me kid."

"Take a chance with it. You just might find a reason to live…" Sakura walked away from Temari and over to where Sasuke was at his locker. When she was sure the pink-haired girl wasn't looking, Temari quickly followed where Sakura's gaze had been earlier.

"Shikamaru…?"

* * *

**well, did i do good? i very much hope so! ah! i'm gonna go watch death note now!!! i luv L!!!!! i was very much sad when he died...oh, did i just give a spoiler??? sorry if i did!**

**i will now partake in the grass eating festival,**

**iamsarcasm **


	16. Chapter 16

**so, now i'm updating before i do my homework and crap. hope you all like this chapter.**

**i cant upload the pics tonight, but i'll try to get them up tomorrow.**

**i felt the need to tell a bit about Temari in this chapter. it's pretty short, but its kinda late and ive still gotta do work for my bipolar english teacher, psyco spanish dude, and newbie math lady. **

**hope yall enjoy this! **

* * *

  
Living the life of a normal girl with friends was hardly what Sakura had expected when she came to this new school. She herself was far from normal, but very few here knew that, and she had even found someone with strange powers just like her. _I've been very lucky, _Sakura thought as she walked across the street from the grocery store. It was after school now and she was running an errand for her aunt, who had said to pick up a few things so she could make dinner when she got home. Sakura's aunt had been avoiding her more than usual. _She had said 'Maybe people like you are better off alone' but what did she really mean? That we should be kept away from because we'll only be hated? I…I don't want that. I feel better around people. I like it here…_

* * *

Temari walked down the street towards her…living quarters. She had seen Sakura further up the road, but hadn't felt like talking to her. Sometimes Sakura's happiness got on her nerves. And on top of that, she didn't really want people to know that right now she was living in a –

"Visiting someone?" a voice from behind her shook her from her thoughts. Temari turned to see none other than her biology partner, Shikamaru.

"Wh-what? Why are you here? Go home!"

"Ah, now, that's not a very nice way to talk to someone," he scratched his head, "So what are you doing here?"

"What about you?" Temari didn't like the boy's persistence.

"I'm walking home. I live in those red brick apartments further up the road. Now, back to my original question…"

"I…I'm working here……part-time…"

"Oh? Eh, don't let the fact that they hire 15 and 16 year olds get out. My mom has been nagging me to get a job for forever now." The guy was so lazy. Temari felt a little envious, he had such a laid-back life. He had a family and friends here in his hometown.

"Whatever, I'm gonna be late. See ya." Temari walked into the hotel building in front of them. When she thought she was out of his view, she pulled out a set of keys and headed to the elevator.

"So, the new girl lives in a hotel…?"

* * *

Temari opened the door to her room as of now. She turned on the light and looked around the area: a single bed with tacky print, a bathroom off to the left, a TV on some Asian style looking dresser that was so large that it made her feel like she hardly had any clothes, and a little mini fridge that held one two liter bottle of soda (curtsy of the hotel) and some sandwich making items (Temari went out to get them). This was her home, exactly how it always looked like, no matter what town she visited.

"Hey, I'm home…" Temari tapped a picture as she walked in. The picture featured her and her family: a ten year old Temari with her parents on either side behind her and one brother next to her, the other one in the foreground between them. Her mother had always bragged that this was the best photo the family had ever taken; she kept a copy on her plane and told all of her clients about it. _And this is my oldest child, my older daughter Temari. She's a little different than her brothers, she has very special talents. We all think she'd make a great veterinarian some day. Her brothers simply adore her. When they were all much smaller, they would follow her all around the house like little ducks, isn't that just so cute? _That was what she had told her last client as she took them down from the mountain. Temari's mother took hikers and skiers up the inactive volcano near their hometown. She'd fly her plane up there sometimes on off days just to see the natural beauty. She had taken Temari and her brothers up there once. _"Look Temari!" Gaara, the youngest one had said, "There's a giant hole in the mountain!" _He then tried to climb down the mouth of the volcano with Kankuro, the middle child, and that was the first and last time their mother had taken them up there. One day Temari's mother had wanted to fly up there to aid in the search for a missing skier. The winter winds had caught up her small plane and smashed it down. The skier was found alive in a cave. Temari's mother was found dead in a wooded area, her body crushed in the destroyed metal of the plane. Temari's father, who believed she was only a freak, sent her away after her mother died. _"I have no love for inhuman things."_

Temari now lay on the cheap hotel bed, fishing out of the pillow her bank card. When her father wanted her to never come back he meantnever, not even for cash to live by. He periodically sent money to his daughter's account…that was the most "interaction" they ever had. She got a card from her brothers once, but it had made her cry so she stuck it in the part of the frame behind the photo. Now she stared at the card, unsure of what she wanted from anybody anymore...

* * *

Sakura wasn't too sure what she saw. She thought she had heard familiar voices, and when she turned she saw Temari walking into a hotel and Shikamaru walking away.

"Hey, Shikamaru. Where's Temari going?" Sakura walked up to him.

"Oh, her? Well apparently she lives there." H e said it so nonchalantly.

"E-eh???" Sakura knew Temari didn't live with her family, but she didn't know she lived in a hotel.

"Well, I guess so. Whatever her story is…"

Sakura couldn't help but worry a bit for the girl who was like her. If she lived in a hotel, she could up and leave any day…

* * *

**i know, i know, it's short...but it was this or no update for a little over two days.**

**like i said i'll update the pics tomorrow! thank you as always for reading, reviewing, and appreciating!!!!!**

**living life and finding it boring,**

**iamsarcasm **


	17. Chapter 17

**well, i'm trying to update during the school week...it's kinda hard. maybe i should try earlier in the day...**

**you all can check out my profile for the 4,000 hits pic. you're almost to 100 reviews AND 6,000 hits?! AHH, i cant keep up!!! AND i have to draw a really good pic of my own characters and one of Arietta the Wild for anime club?! AND mid-terms are coming?! it's too much pressure! i dont like pressure!!! **

**explodes**

* * *

That night there was reported to be an awful storm. Sakura was walking home from her shopping, thinking about what Shikamaru had said. _If she lives in a hotel, _Sakura thought, _then she could leave any day. _Sakura walked faster as the wind picked up, and as she neared her house it started a horrible howling. She dropped her keys once while trying to open the door. Upon picking them up, Sakura noticed Hinata running across the lawn with Smoky bounding behind. She thought it was cute how even though the cat didn't like many people it still followed Hinata around everywhere.

"Hey Hinata, what's wrong? You look worried…is it the storm?" Hinata reached Sakura on the porch and stopped, realizing her cat was behind her. She quickly scooped up Smoky for fear the winds would scare him into running away.

"Sakura huff you, your aunt…she left!" Sakura didn't get what she was saying. Hinata went through her pocket and pulled out a note.

"She huff said you were better off alone. Before I could ask her what she was talking about she gave me this and left in her car. She had packed it full of stuff, like she was leaving." Sakura grabbed the note, opening it to read its contents:

"_Sakura,_

_I've realized that I'll never love you, no matter how much my husband may have wanted it. Now I also see that you can't function under hate. Maybe this is what your parents thought. I believe you'll do well on your own, you were accepted easily at this new school. The best of luck to you in life._

_Kana."_

Sakura stared blankly at the note. She half didn't believe that her aunt had really left her. She needed something to confirm this, but she really didn't know what to look for. Sakura turned to her friend.

"Thanks, Hinata. It's ok now," Hinata looked unsure of Sakura's words. She just stood there in the violently ripping wind clutching Smoky, both of their hair was flying all over.

"Really Hinata, you should go back now, this wind isn't really safe."

Hinata gave one last glance of concern as she neared her house. Sakura had opened the door and was now going in her own abode.

_Her aunt really abandoned her……_

* * *

Sakura was sitting on her bed, thinking. As of now she wasn't concerned with her aunt's sudden leaving, but more so with her own lifestyle. She had friends, sure, but not even half of them knew what she really was. And one of them might just leave one night, Sakura didn't want that. This was the very first time she had met someone like her, and she didn't want them to leave. _Temari stays in that hotel in the mid-town area…that's right near the bridge that leads out of town. I wonder…if she was serious about leaving towns after someone befriends her. That can't be easy……and with so many friends now, she just might…_

Sakura made up her mind. She got off the bed and went downstairs. She knew the weather was bad, and she could almost hear the rational voices of her friends, like Sasuke and Hinata, telling her to stay inside. Sakura disregarded the voices and grabbed a coat and umbrella. She ignored the windows shaking from the wind and the trouble she had opening the door. There was, after all, an extra room in her house.

* * *

Temari heard a buzz on the intercom in her room. _Who the hell visits people in this kind of weather? Must be the wrong room. _She pressed the button and started to say that they had called the wrong room when she heard a familiar voice on the other end. Temari ran down the flight of stairs and found Sakura, dripping wet and standing in the lobby.

"What the---what's wrong with you?!" Temari couldn't believe the girl had walked out in that harsh storm. Sakura smiled sheepishly at her.

"I was worried."

"Worried?! The only one who needs to be looked after or worried about is YOU!!!"

"Do you need a place to stay?"

"What are you talking about? I stay here. Which makes me wonder how did you find me?! Oh never mind! Just come up and dry off before you die of cold!"

* * *

Temari was sitting on the tacky hotel bed as she stared at Sakura, who now wore an outfit of hers. Sakura was clad in a green top with a dark fairy on it and some red and black Tripp pants. _She's such a ditz, she might really trip in them…I'll probably have to periodically remind her that there's straps connecting the legs._ Sakura was looking at her new outfit too.

"This is cool!" She seemed like a little kid trying on her parents' clothes. Not only did she look happy, but the clothes were a size or two too big and baggy too, for Temari was taller. Temari rolled her eyes at Sakura's comment.

"So, why DID you come? The rain and stuff's crazy!" Sakura looked up and at Temari.

"I wanted to ask if you'd come to stay with me."

"What…? Wh—don't you have a family 'er something?"

Sakura shook her head, "My aunt just left…"

"Oh……sorry 'bout that…"

" She…never liked me anyways…but, do you wanna stay?"

"Why? You think I'm jumpin' at the chance to be the roommate of some ditzy kid?"

"It'll be lonely without anyone around. I know you feel lonely too. We feel lonely a lot."

Sakura's comment freaked Temari out a little. How did she know so well how people like them felt if she had never met one until now. Maybe she was just applying her own personal knowledge, hoping to hit home. Well she did.

"Whatever, but what do you want me to do now? It's raining rabid cats and dogs out there."

"I don't live very far, you know."

* * *

She couldn't believe this. Temari was now walking through the slightly flooded streets with Sakura, each of them had one bag of stuff. Temari really didn't have much, that or she could pack it all into two bags. The rain pelted down on them and wind tore across the empty streets at them. _I can't believe I seriously followed this crazy girl out here!_ Temari liked rain, but this was an overload! Both had two coats on but were chilled to the bone, and both were having serious trouble walking against the wind.

"You dipshit!!!" Temari yelled to Sakura who was a few feet away to her right, "Why'd you even think of trying this?!?!" Either Sakura hadn't heard her above the wind or she didn't want to answer because Temari heard nothing in return.

"Hey!" Temari stepped in towards Sakura and a flower shop awning fell on them. The two flailed around until it came off. Winds screamed around them, making Sakura's wet hair fly and Temari's almost come out of its ponytails. _This is insane!!! We're going to die!!!!!_

* * *

Temari lay on the floor of Sakura's living room. She was panting and tired as all get out. _D-dammit! That girl is crazy!_ She rolled over and stared at the tattoo on her left arm. A sky blue bird and a black bird were on her wrist. _Ugh…that was too intense for my tastes. _

"Here's a towel!" Sakura had changed once again, this time into her own clothes, and had brought Temari's things upstairs, "The room on the top floor at the end of the hallway, that can be your's." Temari looked up from her arm and at the girl in front of her. It was strange for her to think that they were the same kind of person, yet so very different people.

"Hn, yeah whatever," she got up and went to the stairs. As she passed the door to the kitchen she saw something on the table. A bank card.

"Sakura…"

"Yes?"

"She's not coming back…"

* * *

**yes! i'm done! yet soo much more stuff to do!!! curse dude melton, preggers lady, bipolar lady, n00b lady, and over-caffinated dude for so much work!!! ah, well...i sometimes done even do it... **

**thank you all a million!**

**lurking behind your laundry piles,**

**iamsarcasm **


	18. Chapter 18

**hi everyone! i couldnt update cause of so much homework and reviews! i mean geez Pregnant Lady, if you want people to turn in quality reports, dont give them 89 question long reviews due the same day!**

**on a new note, you all are 6 reviews away from the 100 reviews pic!!! i colored this one...but it doesnt look as good on my computer as it does in real life. i'll put it up now cause i dont know when my next chance will be. so go to my profile and check it out!**

**disclaimer: i cant claim i own naruto. cause if i do, that masashi kishimoto guy'll get me. you know him. he'll drill ya.**

words and stuff _thoughts and flashbacks and stuff_

* * *

Sakura woke to the sound of her alarm clock. She was about to call out to her aunt to tell her that she wasn't going to be late…but then she realized her aunt wasn't there. Temari was.

Walking down the short hallway, Sakura saw Temari standing in the doorframe of the bathroom staring at something.

"What are you looking at?" Temari turned to face her new roommate.

"There's a spider," she pointed to a small arachnid on the tiles.

"Um…are you afraid of it?"

"No, just……thinking…"

"About a spider?"

"Yeah, about what it's like for them. I mean, people kill them with tissue boxes all the time, but for a spider, that's a lot of weight. I was wondering what it's like to be thinking about something like your next dinner and then the next thing you know, you're dead." Sakura wasn't sure how to respond. This girl sure did think about a lot of different things.

* * *

"Hi Sasuke!" Sakura sat down in her desk in front of him in homeroom. Temari was arguing with Kakashi about something up in the front of the classroom.

"Hey, Sakura. Did your house get attacked by that crazy weather last night? All of the shudders on my house came off."

"Oh it wasn't that bad once you got used to walking against the wind." Sakura hadn't even realized what she had said.

"Wh-what? You were outside in that mess?!" Sasuke stared at the girl in front of him. she didn't look like she could stand being outside in a storm like that…but then again, maybe it was the pink hair that made her look very delicate.

"O-oh…yeah, I was out there…"

"You're gonna get killed if you do things like that! Something could've hit you in the head and killed you!!!"

"Sasuke's worried 'bout his girlfriend!" Naruto said from beside him. Luckily for Sasuke, Naruto was more concerned about his drawing than proclaiming the news, so he wasn't very loud.

"No one was talking to you Blondie. Sakura, you just can't do random things like that and not get hurt. You were freakishly lucky this time!"

"I know…" _This conversation must sound like a parent scolding a child._ Sakura was about to say that out loud, but then she remembered Naruto was there. _His parents were killed…in that same crash. I don't want to bring up any unwanted memories…_

Sakura's thoughts and Sasuke's lecture of concern were interrupted by shouting.

"AAAGH!!!! Get off of me!!!"

Everyone turned to see Kakashi pushing Temari out of the door. His hands were on her shoulders, making her shudder.

"If you want to argue about that, talk to the principal."

"Ok, ok, ok! Just don't touch me!" Temari flipped out at the doorway and ran out of the class.

"Wow, she really does have a problem with that…" Naruto never looked up from his paper.

"What was your first clue?" Sasuke retorted.

* * *

It was art class. Naruto was still working on his drawing, so he was quiet. Ten Ten was laughing with Sakura about something, and Hinata was sitting at a table with Sasuke, who was writing.

"You really like Sakura, don't you?" Hinata asked him this, but he never looked up from his paper.

"Should I take your silence as a 'yes'?" He continued writing.

"Sasuke, your house is on fire."

"No it's not." He never looked up. Hinata sighed. _Hmm, how should I put this? What exactly is Sakura? Should I bring up some show with a magical girl and see his reaction? Let's see…there's Sailor Moon, Tokyo Mew Mew, Final Fantasy…_

"Hey Sasuke, what—"

"Hey you! Commere!!" Hinata didn't get to finish her sentence due to Temari storming into the art room.

"Um, hello Temari," Hinata then realized she was the one being addressed, due to Temari pointing at her, "C-can I help you?"

"Yeah, ya can. Come to the cafeteria."

"Now?"

"No, next Friday." Temari said as she pulled the purple-haired girl's chair towards the door. _Is this Temari's version of pulling someone by the arm???? _Hinata wondered as she got up and followed her.

* * *

"Hey Sasuke." Sakura was looking at him. She had been for a while now. She had been calling his name too, but he doesn't seem to pay attention to things when he writes. Just like Naruto when he draws.

"Oh, wh-what?"

"Have you seen Hinata? She has my biology notebook. Where'd she go?"

"I remember something about Temari kidnapping her in art class…"

"What?!"

"Temari just walked in and was all like, 'You. Come.' The next thing I knew Hinata wasn't at my table anymore."

"What do you think she wanted that would take almost four classes?" Right at that time, Temari came gliding through the door with a flustered looking Hinata. Each of them had about five huge rolls of paper, and about ten notebooks and some markers. With the way Temari was walking, the picture would've been rather graceful if they hadn't dropped something with every five steps they took. Temari went to her table in the back, dumping the supplies on the table and Shikamaru, while Hinata ended up dropping everything on the floor by her chair.

"Guys!" Temari slammed her hands on the table, waking the now buried Shikamaru, "Let's do a group project!"

Silence

Silence

Naruto's pencil made noise as he shaded in something

Silence

"Temari, what the hell are you talking about?" Leave it to Ten Ten to say what's on everyone's minds. Naruto looked up from his picture and Sakura and Sasuke turned around. Even Shikamaru lifted his head up.

"I am talking about this!" Temari held up a picture of a cow with a glass of milk next to it.

Silence

"Um, we're going to do a group project…on a cow…why?" Sasuke just stared blankly at the photo.

"Not just any cow! This cow is in your stomach!" Temari shoved the picture closer to his face, but Sasuke's expression never changed, thanks to years of putting up with Naruto.

"So I'm going to give birth to a bovine now?" Sasuke said this with a completely straight face, causing Sakura to fall into his shoulder laughing and Ten Ten to nearly fall out of her chair.

"Y—no! That's—what's wrong with you? Look at the picture!"

"Yeah, I see a cow."

"It's a bull, get it straight!"

"Whatever! Just what is wrong with you? Can Hinata explain this better or are you going to start whipping out pictures of calves and butter?" Sasuke turned to Hinata, who was miserably trying to get the markers onto her table, but they kept rolling off and onto her head.

"Oh, u-um…Temari wants to start a petition to get a choice of vegetarian and vegan foods in the cafeteria. She…wants us to help her make posters and get signatures…" Hinata still was having trouble with the markers.

"Try picking them all up at once sweetie…" Temari looked at her like a teacher would look at a student who's trying to see their forehead, "Anyways, I thought it'd be a good change! I'm vegan and I got Hinata on the team-"

"You kidnapped her."

"'Cause she's vegetarian, and you guys can help too 'cause-"

"You'll threaten us."

"Sasuke, shut up. 'Cause you all are just here with nothing to do. So, come on, let's get started."

"Wait a minute," Shikamaru spoke up, "You've only been in this school for what…half a week…no more than a week really, and you're already trying to make changes? Why can't you just calm down and pick the bacon bits out of your salad like Hinata?"

"Being vegan is a lot harder. No milk, cheese, eggs, or anything else that is an animal byproduct. Haven't you noticed that I have either checked all of the labels of things or just not eaten lunch at all?" Shikamaru gave her a blank stare.

"I sit right next to you at lunch…" Still a blank stare.

"Ohh," Temari scribbled something on a sticky note and put it on his forehead, careful not to touch him. The note read: "unobservant fool."

"Anyways, Kakashi said to take it up with the principal so I tried, but the principal was out today so the vice principal said if I get 700 or more signatures then she'll arrange new stuff with the school's food supplier!"

"Why can't you just bring a lunch like the rest of the people who don't like the food here?" Shikamaru took the note off his head, read it, and tossed it onto the table.

"Because, you all are a bunch of lazy kids who need to learn how to take a stand for what you believe in!"

"But this is your belief, really."

"Shut up Sasuke. Come on, it's not like you've got anything better to do, guys."

"Who's got nothing better to do?" Naruto came back to earth from his world of artwork.

"Ok, lemme explain…"

"Run, Naruto, run."

"Shutup! Sakura! Control him!"

"Eh?"

"Like I was saying…this! Is a cow."

"Apparently I'm going to give birth to a cow just like that."

"WHAT THE---?!?!?!"

"No, no, ignore him, Naruto. This cow, is probably inside you right now—"

"SO I'M GONNA GIVE BIRTH TO A COW TOO?!?!?!?!?!"

"NO! SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME!!! NOT SASUKE!"

* * *

School had finally ended and Temari was standing on the porch of Sakura's house, waiting for her to stop fumbling with the keys and unlock the door.

"How could you stand that?" Temari asked her.

"Stand what?" Sakura turned to face the blue and blonde girl.

"When you were laughing you fell onto Sasuke's shoulder. Then when you stopped, you just stayed there. Maybe it's just me but, doesn't touching humans…with you being some magical freak, but doesn't touching them make you shiver?"

"Yes, a little. But it's a nice feeling…it helps me feel not so lonely anymore…wait, is that why you don't like touching people?"

"Ugh, I hate it!"

* * *

**well, most of my stuff is due tuesday, so you can probably expect an update then! now i gotta finish my report and my exam reviews, and i still gotta draw my pic for anime club...it's too much. i might just up and leave...someday...**

**the shadow government that controls your every thought has made an error in your favor, collect $50,**

**iamsarcasm **


	19. Chapter 19

**hi! sorry for the not updates, it was life man...but now i am back in time for mid-terms! the magical week where we go to school tues, wed, and thurs, and only stay from 7 to 11! i will insure that updates await you!**

**disclaimer: this story is mine. my cats are mine. even my lap top is mine. naruto, however, is not.**

words and stuff

_thoughts and flashbacks and stuff_

**songs and stuff**

* * *

Temari and Sakura were walking home after a long discussion of cows. Naruto was seriously freaked, Sasuke and Ten Ten had almost died laughing, and Hinata was desperately trying to organize everyone's art supplies. So far, they had made one poster, a cheaply drawn 8 by 10, before the bell rang.

_FLASHBACK_

"_Here," Shikamaru help up a 'Be Fur Free' sign with a little picture of Kiba's dog on it. _

"_Cool!" Kiba had shouted._

"_It's a good message..." a ticked off Temari fumed, "But that's besides the point!!!"_

_END FLASHBACK_

The two were walking home without Hinata because she, like most of the others, had art club. Everyone had invited them to come, but Sakura felt awkward joining in the middle of the year and Temari just didn't feel like it.

"So you really want to change the menu?" Sakura asked as they neared the house. She still wasn't used to…..the empty driveway.

"Damn straight. They gave me some crap about it being 'too expensive.' They already make salads with bacon and egg bits. How hard could it be to make a few without them, or to have more juices instead of milk all the time? I'm not asking them to take it away, just to add a few different—" Temari took notice of Sakura's sad gaze towards the driveway.

"We're getting a car," Temari stated. She may not be the nicest person at times but she did care about those around her. Sakura would have a hard time adjusting to being left by all family, might as well soften the blow a bit.

"Wh-wha?" Sakura didn't get Temari's motives, "But I can't drive."

"I can."

Sakura smiled a little, "Can it be a blue car?" Temari sighed, Sakura was easily cheered up. In a teasing thought, she noted to herself to tell Sasuke that.

"Yes, it can be blue."

* * *

The next morning, Sakura found herself with a cold.

"So, I guess I'll be charged with 'taking care of you'?" Temari had said to Sakura as she heated a cup of tea.

"I'm sorry…"

"God. Don't apologize, it's not your fault. You didn't plan this."

At the end of the school day Sakura was in a blanket on the couch, drinking her third cup of tea, and Temari was asleep upstairs, taking advantage of the free day now that Sakura was mostly better. Sakura heard a car pull up, shortly followed by a knock on the door. She opened it to see Hinata holding Smoky, Naruto…being weird, Sasuke with a container of soup, Shikamaru half asleep, and Ten Ten smiling at her.

"Hey Sakura!" the older girl chimed, "Good to see you're feeling okay! We all figured you were sick, Sasuke brought soup! The rest of us came with our good spirits!" Ten Ten's cheerful demeanor, even from the doorstep, made the house feel a little less empty.

"Thank you! Um, please come in." Sakura stepped aside to let them through, and in a few minutes everyone was on the chairs and floor, laughing and telling Sakura about what happened that day.

"Yeah, and then Hinata opened her bag in math and Smoky popped out! He was all angry and bolted for the front of the room! I dunno whose face was funnier, Kakashi's look of shock or Hinata's look of confused terror!" Naruto could hardly hold himself up due to his laughing, and he constantly fell over onto Hinata who was next to him.

"It was really scary!" Hinata told while stroking the now sleeping cat, "I knew he liked to sit on my backpack, but I never thought he'd go in it! And he's so light I didn't even notice."

"That cat must've been too terrified to move if he just sat in there while you were walking around," Shikamaru still looked as if he wanted to sleep.

"Dude, wake up. It's almost night, sleep then! Go put cold water on your face or something," Ten Ten then proceeded to poke Shikamaru in the head with a pillow until he got up.

"Ok, ok, geez. Sakura, where's the bathroom?"

"There's one upstairs. It's on the right just before the end of the hall."

* * *

Shikamaru walked up the stairs and found the bathroom fine, but just as he was about to turn on the water he heard some sound. It sounded like singing and it was too close to be from downstairs. A little spark of curiosity lit up inside him and he walked back into the hall. It was coming from the room at the very end and well, the door wasn't closed so he pushed it open. He could now hear the song completely.

**We went to the zoo**

Shikamaru realized now that he was in someone's bedroom, but it didn't appear to be Sakura's. He wasn't sure if she had any relatives either.

**We learned a thing or two**

The room was rather bare, a bed that looked disheveled (or more like there was some rabid animal let loose on it), a desk with a few books and some shoes under it, a little nightstand with an old looking picture on it, and an open closet revealing a still full suitcase, a half empty backpack, and three hangers adorned with two dresses and a pair of pants. _Why do those clothes look so familiar? _Shikamaru wondered as he walked over to the nightstand by the bed to look at the picture.

**Animals die just like you and I**

He could now see that there was a laptop on the pillows, which was the origin of the song. The light from the laptop was what was dimly lighting the room. Shikamaru picked up the picture from the stand.

**Even bears have heart attacks**

Shikamaru let out a laugh at the song. Although, in the dim light, he failed to notice that the sound made something by the computer stir.

**Even lions have heart attacks**

A look at the picture would show a family of five, parents with three children, in a little thought out pose.

**There's no need to cry, Mother Nature tried**

However, a closer look revealed a little more.

**Even cows have heart attacks**

One could see that the father in the picture was slightly tilted away from the daughter, and that the two boys next to her were rather rigid.

**They don't exercise and they eat too much fat**

The only one who seemed at ease with the daughter was the mother.

**Even leprechauns have heart attacks**

_The girl…have I seen her somewhere?_ Shikamaru looked at the daughter, a little taller than the two boys, with blonde hair and slightly pale skin

**And even baby dinosaurs have heart attacks**

Shikamaru sighed and put the picture back on the nightstand. Or at least, he tried.

**I'm sorry to say, it's Mother Nature's way**

He had placed it too close to the edge, and the weight of the frame brought it down, skittering under the bed. Shikamaru resented picking it up as he got down on the floor to retrieve it.

**Even cheerleaders, trees, and birds have heart attacks**

Temari was a rather light sleeper…at times. She slowly sat up, wondering what the hell had fallen and woken her up.

**If we knew why, we'd know the meaning of life**

Shikamaru stood up, having found the picture. In the dim light he saw a familiar face. It was something neither of them expected.

**If they'd just exercised maybe they'd survive their heart attacks**

Both Temari and Shikamaru screamed.

"Oh….God! What are you doing here?!"

"S-sorry! It's just……geez woman! Do you have to sneak around like that?!"

"Me? This is my room! Why are you sneaking around?! And what are you doing with that?! Give it!!!" Temari snatched the picture back from Shikamaru.

"Is that your family?"

"What do you care? Get out!!"

Shikamaru went downstairs to see the group looking at him.

"Oh? I think Temari was asleep. Did you startle her?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, and she returned the favor…I think I'm awake now…"

* * *

**chapter complete! yay! i didnt progress the story much, but please trust me, it will all lead up to something good! i may be totally confused in my daily life, but there is a method to my madness! i'm also thinking of another fanfic, but it might be a bit before it gets from paper to internet.**

**remember: reviews and ideasgood, flameswaste of life, ninjas with guitarsawesomenova.**

**iamsarcasm **


	20. Chapter 20

**yay! new chapter! this is one where i tried to grasp the randomness and ADD of naruto's personality, while also having a bit on temari. please trust me. i know what i'm doing. occasionally...**

**disclaimer: if i owned naruto, sasuke wouldnt be such a bad emo on the show. if you think about it, if he had just stopped trying to be like itachi for one day and made a friend, he wouldnt be like this. **

words and stuff

_thoughts and flashbacks and stuff_

'writing' or _"writing"_

* * *

The group had left a while ago and Sakura went to bed early in hopes of getting better. Temari suddenly couldn't stand the quiet and stillness of the house, so she left. She had barely gotten across the lawn before she heard a cranky meow. Looking to the house next door she saw Smoky sitting on the roof looking down at her; Hinata's window was open for him. giving the cat a small wave Temari set off towards the side of town opposite the school and downtown area. She was headed for the city's main entrance, a bridge spanning the width of a rather massive lake. The bridge opened to the residential area, which opened to the town itself, and on the opposite side of the bridge was a highway-like road leading through a forested area. Temari went to stand on the edge of the bridge. There weren't many cars at night, only the occasional nightshift driving to and from work. A chilled, reviving wind was blowing up from the lake onto the bridge. It gave her an almost homesick feeling. She could almost remember her hometown all those cities ago. She would go outside with her brothers and watch their mom's plane take off with some skier, scattering the frosty winds around and around until the plane was farther away. Sticking her hand in her pocket, Temari found the piece of paper from her floor.

_FLASHBACK_

_Temari snatched the picture back from Shikamaru._

"_Is that your family?"_

"_What do you care? Get out!!" _

_Not wanting any more trouble with her, Shikamaru left to go back downstairs. Temari just sat there, not wanting to go down as well. Not wanting to have to deal with all the happy people. As she reached over to put the picture back on her nightstand a piece of paper fell out from the back of the frame. _

'_The frame must've gotten loose when it fell,' Temari thought as she picked it back up. Before she could stop herself, or even put the paper back into its place, she was reading the years old letter:_

"_Dear Temari,_

_This is just a guess, but I'm thinking that you'll be staying at auntie's old house since it's empty. That's the first place I'd think of you going and dad won't let us go there. I'm sorry you can't stay with us……we both really miss you. First mom's gone and then you have to leave, it's lonely here now. Dad doesn't talk to us much, Kankuro's still mad at him. Me…I don't really know what to think of him anymore. He scared me, Temari. When he made you leave. I was thinking that Kankuro and I can sneak out to auntie's old house some time; we can visit you without dad knowing. Or maybe we can just stay with you. Like those kids in the movies, we'll live in an abandoned house and go to different cities when we want. It must be lonely by yourself."_

_The letter wasn't signed, but Temari had known it was her youngest brother just from the handwriting. The next day she had packed up and left her aunt's house. She just didn't know what to do if she saw them again. Now she was holding the letter. Staring at it. Temari changed out of her pajamas and folded the letter like it was before, but instead of putting it back into the picture frame she shoved it in the pocket of her hoodie._

_END FLASHBACK_

Temari had always loved the winds her mother's plane kicked up. And she was glad that the bridge here felt almost the same. Her brothers, being rather young at the times they'd watch the plane, were a little scared of the wild air, and would either cling to her or try to hide behind her. That was one of the more prominent memories she had of her brothers. A memory that resounded with the high winds. The three siblings shared that memory, Temari was sure of it. Tilting her head up to the starry sky, she released the paper she had held onto for so long. Might as well let the winds take it. It's not like she had ever written a reply.

* * *

The next morning at school, Sakura walked into homeroom to find Ten Ten there too. She was leaning over from a seat she had pulled up by Naruto and was laughing hysterically. Sasuke was laughing as well, but his laughter was a lot more bearable than Ten Ten's loud outbursts. Hinata looked like she was trying to explain something to Naruto and Temari wasn't here yet.

"Hello," Sakura came over to her seat next to Hinata. The minute she sat down Naruto shoved a group of papers into her face, a few of which fell past her due to his forcefulness.

"Look, look! I made a play to help with the lunchroom food thing Temari was talking about!!!" Sakura leaned back so that she could read the cover of the stack of papers.

'Memories of Recollections'

"Um, Naruto…memories and recollections are the same thing…" Sakura's comment caused Sasuke to start laughing again. Ten Ten had never stopped.

"Yeah, I know that now. But won't it make for an interesting title? Wanna perform the play now? Come on guys, read it!" Naruto seemed really excited with his idea. He passed the four of them copies and kept one for himself.

"You sure took a lot of time making this……did you do any of your homework?" Hinata questioned.

"It didn't take very long actually, only about 20 minutes…but I still didn't do my homework…" Naruto scratched the back of his head as the group sighed, "Well then! Let's begin! I'll write down on a scrap sheet who's gonna play who now!"

'Husband- Sasuke

Wife- Sakura

Husband's mother- Ten Ten

Child- Hinata

Narrator- Naruto'

"Why do I have to be old?" Ten Ten complained.

"Just shut up and I'll start!" Naruto stated, "Ok, in a quite town a married couple lives in a condo. The husband, Hiro, works for a company."

"Department manager. Department manager…Naruto what the hell is this?" Sasuke said.

"I never wrote 'what the hell is this?'! Do it right guys!!!" Naruto yelled at them, "Now, the wife, Kyoko, quit her job as an Avon lady and is now a housewife."

"……Um, oh! C-craptastic……?" Sakura said, causing Ten Ten to burst out laughing.

"Kana, Hiro's mother, lives with them and is very cruel to her daughter-in-law."

"Um," Ten Ten looked down at her sheet:

'You can't cook breakfast right?! (in Spanish)'

"Why does the family have to be bilingual?! Are you trying to make a fool out of me?!" Ten Ten whacked Naruto in the head with her script.

"But Kana has to speak her native language, she's too old to learn a new one," Naruto explained.

"Is she Spanish?"

"No."

"Where does the story take place?"

"Japan."

"Then wha--"

"Fine! I guess I'll make a little change," Naruto scribbled something onto his script, "Then one day, Kana is killed by Light Yagami and his death note."

"Naruto! What the hell?! You can't just make crazy changes like that!!!" Sasuke too, was getting irritated by this.

"Well, Kana was a minor role. Here Ten Ten, you can be the other minor roles that pop up, okay? Now, page three, scene one: One day, a baby is born to the couple."

"Goo goo gah. Gah gah. I've just been born, goo gah……..?" Hinata's confused look caused Ten Ten to start laughing again.

"We can name him 'My Sandwich'," Sasuke was now the one to wear the confused look, "Naruto, why? Just…why? Is there any point to this?"

"Yes there is!" Naruto retaliated, "Ok: My Sandwich is picked on by the school kids due to his name."

"When did he grow?!" Sasuke yelled.

"Kana's body was never taken out of the refrigerator."

"Werrrrrrrrrrr," Ten Ten was now doing sound effects.

"Hiro was caught having an affair with his ex, and now lives on a farm where the cows never shut up."

"What the--?"

"Moooooo."

"Hiro is now back together with his wife. Beckham tries to kick the ball, but misses."

"Naruto, dear God!"

"Swoosh, whiff!" Laughter could be heard from behind the group.

"I'm not too sure I wanna ask…but what are you doing?" Temari was leaning against the wall, giggling to herself.

"Ah, Temari! Did you leave early? I didn't see you." Sakura turned her attention to the blue-blonde.

"Yeah, something like that…um, Naruto. Do you mind telling me what the point to this play thing is?"

"Oh! Yeah!" Naruto handed his copy over for Temari to look at, "The winter arts festival is coming up, and we could perform this, but add in a lot of commercials about no meat!"

"Um……" Hinata didn't seem to want to.

"No way!" Ten Ten had recovered from her fits of laughter.

"Why didn't you tell us that idea earlier?!" Sasuke was mad.

"Do we have to? I don't get it." Sakura didn't want to sound mean.

"Dude," Temari flipped through the packet, "Can't you think of something else? I mean--wait, what? Here's an example, Sakura and Hinata, read the part on page five where…My…Sandwich…starts smoking……"

"Ok, ummm, you're only in high school! You shouldn't be smoking!"

"♫ I'm soooooo♫" Hinata sang softly.

"See Naruto. This doesn't make sense at all, when did it become a musical?" Temari stated while Ten Ten read through the rest while laughing, "Why don't you come up with some other idea. Trust me, you're a way better artist than a writer…can you even keep one straight thought?"

Temari looked thoughtful for a moment, "Hey…yeah. The arts festival is a great place to do something…when is it?"

"Next Friday," Ten Ten said, "Why? What're you thinking?"

"Hey, Hinata," Temari turned to the purple haired girl who was still trying to decipher the song, "I need you to help me in the art room."

"Wha? But math is about to start and…" Hinata looked like she was contemplating something, "Ten Ten, you aren't even in this class."

"Yeah, I know."

"Come on! The teacher doesn't know me that well and I need them to give me some supplies. Oh, and the music room too! Where's that?"

The four left watched as Temari listed off things to Hinata while they left.

"What's that crazy girl got planned?" Naruto asked aloud to no one.

"Lord save us if it's another play…" Sasuke sank back in his chair while Kakashi started his lesson, "It just might end up being a long week and a half."

"I think it might be fun," Sakura chimed in, "I've never been to an arts festival before!"

* * *

**sigh such is the extent of naruto's brain. i might update again today...but probably not. more like tomorrow or something. i have the arts festival thing planned in my head and stuff, but if you have ideas i'll concider (and most likely end up) using them! dont worry dudes, i'll give you yer props...**

**eat my face,**

**iamsarcasm **


	21. Chapter 21

**i hope you all like this chapter! i worked on it for a long time today!**

**please enjoy and let me know.**

**if you dont review, i just might lose my motivation...**

* * *

* * *

* * *

Everyone was now sitting in 8th hour biology, each doing their own thing to avoid the lecture. Temari couldn't help but feel cheerless. She had been watching them do Naruto's play thing for a while; it had seemed that they were having fun. She felt a little lonely like in every other town; wanting to join in but feeling out of place. As if she didn't belong.

--------------------

Sakura couldn't help but feel sad at the moment. It was as if that feeling was being radiated around her.

--------------------

Temari was already bored with this place.

--------------------

Is something going to happen? Sakura couldn't be sure.

--------------------

However, she had some unfinished business. She didn't want to leave with something she'd regret.

---------------------

Where are all of these different feelings coming from?

---------------------

Temari felt there was nothing worth doing in this class now so…why not?

---------------------

The air felt familiar. Sakura could've sworn she had felt this somewhere before…

---------------------

Temari felt like trying it out here. The gift from her mother.

---------------------

Uncle?

* * *

_FLASHBACK_

_A five year old Sakura sat on the living room floor coloring a picture of a kitten. Her parents were watching the news and looking at school brochures. Sakura would be a first grader next year._

"_Mmm, when did you learn to color inside the lines?" her mother asked in a half interested tone. Sakura wasn't looking at her, her attention had turned to her uncle standing in the kitchen doorway. He looked tired, and his gaze was case towards Sakura's father._

"_What?" her father asked._

"_Little death," her uncle replied, "Probably an animal."_

_That night, on his way back from the grocery store, Sakura's father hit and killed a deer. _

_END FLASHBACK_

It was so familiar, this feeling in the air. She knew only one person that this aura could possibly be coming from; Sakura turned to Temari, who smirked in return.

------------------

Smirking at Sakura, Temari closed her eyes and pictured the group in her mind. Opening her eyes and scanning each of them she found:

Hunger

Kindness

Confusion

Death

Tired

Happy

Bored

_Wait a minute……death?_ Temari quickly went back to the person who had that aura: Hinata. _It's a rather small spot hovering around her…so it can't mean her, right? _Temari remembered again why she used her gift so rarely. It was creepy to find out certain things like this. And then on top of that, she always felt the obligation to try and stop it. Now, how to let Hinata know…?

Temari was so lost in her own thoughts she hardly noticed the bell. Sakura was already at the lockers with Hinata and Sasuke when she did get up. Grabbing her papers, which consisted of a used car ad, a notebook, and a few worksheets from the other classes, she gave Shikamaru's chair a slight kick and left. That was almost like their little routine, Temari kicking his chair to wake him up. There were a few times she had to kick it over to wake him.

After the whole 'goodbye' thing Sakura always did, she, Temari, and Hinata started to walk home. As they neared their block Hinata saw Smoky in a mud puddle.

"Oh! I told mom not to let him out after it rains! He loves to roll in mud," Hinata scooped up the grey cat who let out his usual cranky sounding meow. Apparently Hinata had no regards to her clothes' condition, for her purple striped top was now splotched with mud and grass blades.

"Smoky is cute. He always sounds mad, but it looked like he was having fun in that puddle," Sakura gently pet the side of Smoky's head that wasn't mud-covered.

_Hey,_Temari thought, _maybe it's her cat. I could try to look for the death aura now._

Sure enough, now that Smoky was here, Hinata's wave of death was gone. However there was a form of ghastly fortune around Sakura. _Ah, what the hell?! Can't we just go home safely? _Temari's thoughts were scattered by Hinata's voice.

"Whose car is that?" Hinata was looking at their driveway, no longer bare, but hosting a silver Volvo.

"I…I don't know," Sakura followed her friend's stare, "I don't think I've ever seen that particular car."

Now, there are many, many sliver Volvos in the world, but this one was…distinctive. On the passenger's side, the silver paint was scratched off, leaving the exposed metal as the door. The front was severely dented in the center making the grill form a 'U' shape, as if the driver had run into a tree before. The trunk's hood was half torn off, with edges of jagged, razor-like metal around the opening. The roof of the car had a rock in it. Not on, but in it. From their standing place they could see the other half of the almost triangular rock on the inside roof near the right back window. Yes, this was a Volvo that one would fail to remember.

"Whoever drives that thing is probably crazy!" Temari's eyes were narrowed at the vehicle and slightly twitching at the thought of who would own it, her eyebrow piercing shimmering in the light.

"Do you guys wanna come over and call the cops?" Hinata looked at them with a little fear in her eyes.

"Um…we'll be fine!" Sakura said, causing both girls to give her the classic 'WTF?!' face, "Whoever drives it isn't in there now, at least. It's probably just somebody's relative who needed a parking space."

"Yeah, the relative from hell!" Temari walked into the street, put her arms out, and waved them side to side, "And tell me this: who has to park in someone's driveway when there's all of this…thisspace!" She had a point. There were only about five cars scattered about the three block area.

"Well, I'm sure they'll be nice about it," Sakura was already walking to the porch.

"Like I said, relative from hell," Temari reluctantly followed her after Hinata promised to keep the windows open to hear any screams.

* * *

Sakura opened the door to find a pair of shoes already at the mat.

"Holy shit!" Temari backed into the door, "Where did you hide that spare key that it was so easy for them to find?!"

"I put it in one of those fake rock things," Sakura replied innocently.

"What?! Those don't even look like real rocks! It's just like putting a chunk of plastic in your lawn and then hiding $50 under it!!! Everyone knows what you're trying to pull!!!" Temari screeched, "Oh God now there's someone in here……you look downstairs and I'll look upstairs, if we don't find them and they're in the basement, run like hell to Hinata's. So many murders occur in basements and by the look of that car-"

"What are we looking for?" a strange yet familiar voice questioned from the couch.

-----------

Sakura:

The voice cascaded upon her ears like a thousand crystal bullets. Not strong enough to hurt, but fast enough to land and shatter into a million little pieces that embedded themselves in her brain. The newly embedded shards awoke older ones and together they raced around her head, unfurling memories of years ago. She didn't even have to turn around to know who it was.

-----------

Temari:

She spun around to see the owner of the voice. A woman was sitting calmly. Simply reading a home decorating magazine. She wasn't the type one would peg as a home invader; her cream colored dress pants and her peach floral print shirt seemed harmless. She wore a silver heart on a chain around her neck and matching dangly earrings. It was her face that worried Temari. She had no flaws, perfect make-up, proportionate features, and a kind glow. But her eyes: two crystal clear pale green orbs lined in light brown eyeliner with pale pink shadow; it was the cold, steely look in her eyes that almost made Temari shiver.

------------------------------------

"M-mom?"

------------------------------------

The three were now sitting at the table in the kitchen. Sakura was across from her mom while Temari got the awkward seat in the middle. Sakura's mother had earlier introduced herself as Kari, and was now tucking her pastel pink hair behind her ears. Sakura looked rigid with fright; Temari felt bad for her and also wondered what had happened between them. Sakura had said that her parents had abandoned her to her aunt years ago…why was Kari here now?

"So," Kari's voice was a mixture of brisk and stern, "Where ever did your aunt go?"

"K-Kana…?" even Sakura's voice was a little shaky.

"She left a while ago," Temari spoke up after a minute of silence.

Kari turned her stare onto Temari, making her feel uncomfortable, "Is that so?" she seemed unfazed by this, "Well, I couldn't expect a lot of…commitment from her. My brother had just died, and she wasn't even a blood relative. I'm rather impressed she lasted as long as she did with you."

The both of them got a shock from that comment. Didn't she care at all what happened to her daughter? Temari held back her irritation while Sakura inquired, "W-why did you come back?"

Her mother was silent for a while, "I…have a recessive gene. For your…traits. Your father must've too, but he sent me away, wanting a chance at normal children. I thought I could come home, if not to my sister-in-law I at least thought Sakura would be here…now there're two of you things…" She cast a look of disgust on both of the girls.

"Hey, wait!" Temari stood up, "You just said you were like us, then you go and--"

"I never said I was one of you! Despite my defective gene I am still a human!" Kari got up and walked back into the living room, "And I have no love for inhuman things!"

Her last comment made Sakura visibly flinch. Temari just stood there, thinking of how much this woman was like her father. Well, at least she let them stay.

"Temari…" Sakura's voice was small, as if she was far away.

"Yeah," the blonde turned to her.

"Maybe we should get your things out of the other room. You can share mine."

As the two girls ascended up the stairs, Temari took a look at Kari, Sakura's cold-hearted mother. Two things ran through her mind:

_ghastly fortune around Sakura_

_relative from hell_

It was late, Sakura and Temari were going to bed: Sakura in her small twin sized, Temari on the mini air mattress.

"Temari?" the younger one whispered into the darkness.

"Hm?"

"…………Is there anywhere people like us will be accepted?"

Temari turned to look at her. Sakura was staring at the ceiling, and the streetlights coming through the blinds showed a few tears coming down her face.

"I," Temari lay back down, "I think this is as close as it gets…"

"Ok…"

Two things ran through Sakura's mind:

friends

family

Two things ran through Temari's mind:

friends

home

* * *

They went on later to dream about nothing.

* * *

**well, was it good? i myself am rather pleased.**

**chimeras ate my homework,**

**iamsarcasm **


	22. Chapter 22

**hi guys, sorry for the no update, but here's a prize!**

**along with this chapter comes my newest fanfic: Not the Life I'd Fancied!!! **

**oh, don't worry, i'll still have this as my main story; but i will take some time to get that one on its feet.**

**please check it out! with every hit comes a massive chimera!**

**i also hope you like this rather short chapter. with every hit comes a grimalkin! meow!!!**

* * *

Temari woke up to an empty room. Looking around at the few pieces of furniture she could hear running water in the bathroom and a voice coming from downstairs. Walking to the top of the stairs without bothering to change out of her flannels and t-shirt, Temari knelt down and listened. Sakura's mom was on her cell phone, looking out the window.

"Yes…………no, please, I just-………yes, she's here……..there's another one, too……I know…….no…….no I won't forgive you……..this is the second time you've ruined things for me…………..I don't care…….I know he was………………I used to be so happy that it was him and not me…….but, maybe I'd have been able to love her then…"

Temari didn't quite get it, but she had a vague idea.

Going back down the upstairs hall, she saw Sakura leaning out the side window.

"Are you sure Hinata?"

Temari couldn't hear the reply.

"Ok, thank you," turning back inside she saw Temari, "There's no school today. Power line blew down over there." Sakura looked a sad.

"What?" Temari noted.

"Eh?" Sakura started towards their room with Temari following.

"Sad…" Temari was getting a little irritated that her pink haired friend didn't get it. That's just how Temari was, she didn't say much but then when she had to explain her point over again she'd get mad at people.

"Your face!" Sakura looked up as if to try and see her face, making Temari even more frustrated, "You look sad!!!"

Sakura jumped at the sudden outburst, "Oh? Wh-why are you…was it that hard to say?"

Temari sighed, she wasn't used to interacting with people.

"So why? Why are you sad?"

"It's nothing," Sakura went to her closet to get an outfit.

"Mother?" Temari sat on her air mattress.

"No," Sakura picked out a light orange and peach plaid skirt.

"Sasuke?" Sakura stopped, practically telling Temari she was right, "It's Sasuke isn't it? You wanna see him?"

Sakura was now busying herself with finding a top.

"So it is," Temari stated, "He seems nice. He knows what you are and doesn't care…good person. You two…it's like you like each other but don't wanna admit it."

Sakura found a white long-sleeved shirt, the weather wasn't stormy this morning, "I guess."

"You feel nice around him. He makes you happy. Now that your mom's back, you need that. You want to see him, don't you?" Temari may not be good at talking to people, but years of silent observation made her great at reading others' feelings. Sakura was silent for a while, staring at her feet.

"Well then," Temari got up and headed to the bathroom, grabbing a mini dress on her way, "Get dressed; we're going to see him." She had no clue how but she had already said it.

"Wha? We don't even know where his house is," Sakura thought of the vast residential area of their town.

"We'll knock on every damn door then," all Temari knew was that Sasuke could walk home from school, so that means he must live in the housing area to the north. They could walk that. It's just a few suburban houses. That's all.

* * *

A pink haired girl in a white long-sleeved collared shirt and peachy plaid skirt was sitting on a bus stop bench next to a blue and blonde haired girl in a black mini dress with stocky black combat boots. They had been going door to door for a while now, no house they had been to was Sasuke's.

_NOT TOO LONG AGO_

_Temari knocked on someone's door. The house was a light minty green with white trim. A thirty something woman answered the door._

"_Um, hello…"_

"_Hi," unlike Sakura who hadn't wanted to disturb anyone she didn't even know, Temari didn't care what the home owners thought, "Is there someone named Sasuke here?"_

"_Um, no."_

"_Do you know if he lives on this street?"_

"_Um, I haven't met anyone of that name. You're looking for your friend?"_

"_Yeah, thanks anyways."_

"_Um, ok…bye." The lady slammed the door._

_--------------------_

_Temari knocked on the sixth door since that lady earlier._

"_What do you want?"_

"_Hi, do you know a Sasuke Uch-"_

"_I'm not buying!" The older man slammed the door._

_--------------------_

_Temari knocked on another door, this time even more irritated. A little kid answered._

"_Hi…" the little girl wasn't more than five._

"_Hi, do you have a big brother named Sasuke?"_

"_I have a big brother, but his name is Kohaku…do you want to meet him?"_

"_Um, no thanks. See you later kid!"_

"_Bye bye!"_

_BACK TO THE PRESENT_

Now both girls were sitting on the bench, extremely tired from the day's searching. An empty bus pulled up to them, probably assuming that they wanted a ride.

"You girls getting on?" the driver asked after a minute of keeping the door open.

"Does it look like we're getting on? Geez, the fumes of that ecosystem wrecker must be getting to your head." Temari kicked an empty water bottle from under the bench. It landed on the first step of the bus.

"Kids these days. No respect," the bus driver muttered as they drove off. Temari yelled "recycle that!" after the departing vehicle.

"Temari?" Sakura realized they'd been going door to door for the better part of the afternoon, "Where exactly are we?"

"Umm," the blonde girl thought, "Damn, I shouldn't have let that guy drive off, I bet he knows…"

"So you don't know?"

"Nope."

"Wh-why are you so calm? It looks like it's gonna storm again today!" Sakura's voice was drenched in worry.

"Oh, come on, the weather dudes on the radio said…" Temari glanced at the vast sky above her, which glared back with dark purple clouds, "Oh, dammit."

"What do we do? That's probably the last bus for a while…"

"Man, this would be the cheap kinda bus stop without an overhang above the bench…well," she thought for a while, "Let's stick to our original plan."

"We're still going house to house?"

"You got anything else worth tryin'?" Temari started walking and, not wanting to be left behind, Sakura followed.

* * *

It was now raining, and the girls had not found the house they searched for. A dog had chased Temari and Sakura had to shoo it away with a stick. A stick broke off of a tree right beside Sakura and Temari had to pull the pieces out of her hair. It wasn't as bad as the last storm they were in, but it still wasn't very desirable. The two girls gave up on all courtesy they had left in them and just went up and sat on someone's porch to stay out of the rain.

"So," a voice came through the window behind them, "You mind explaining?"

Upon turning, Sakura's face lit up like a happy child and Temari muttered, "Finally."

They had found Sasuke's house in sheer luck.

* * *

**i am so sorry for the shortness. i will commence with writing more!**

**also, since this was a little short, check out my new story. it has a freakin 11 page first chapter! that's a huge accomplishment for me!!!**

**i am eternally greatful now, aren't i? thank you for putting up with me,  
**

**iamsarcasm **


	23. Chapter 23

**sorry for the long no-update! my brillant mind and i have been busy. however, we will not abandon our jobs!!!**

**also, please check out my other story, Not the Life I'd Fancied. i'm updating that one next!**

**ok, so, in this chapter: sakura has a realization, temari goes on a raving rampage (sort of), and we see another side of kari.**

words and stuff, _thoughts and stuff_

* * *

Sakura was now standing by a couch in the Uchiha residence. She and Temari had dried off with a towel provided by Sasuke's ever-caring mother. Sakura now had her towel in her hands and was talking to Sasuke, whereas Temari had put the towel down a long time ago and was now outside again, playing with Sasuke's puppy (the only dog that hadn't attacked her today).

"So, what's up that made you two come all the way over here?" Sasuke was leaning against the window Sakura was looking out of. She looked down, remembering her pain. One thing this little "journey" had served to do was make her forget about things for a time.

"I don't…well……my aunt left…" Sakura never looked Sasuke in the eye as she spoke, "And then…my mom came back." Sakura started to cry.

"I'm scared Sasuke! I'm scared she'll hate me again!" she said between sobs. Sasuke gently held the sobbing girl.

"It's ok, Sakura. It's ok," he gently stroked her hair as she cried into him, "She can't hate you that much, she's your mother."

"B-but s-she does!" Sakura was hysterical.

"Why did she come back?" Sasuke rocked her gently.

"I-I don't know…" Sakura was starting to calm now. A sudden large crash of thunder followed by a scream and a woof startled the two apart. Looking out the window, they saw Temari and Sasuke's puppy running around in circles in the rain. Sakura let out a small giggle.

"Sometimes," Sasuke said as he opened the patio door, "You just need to get away from the things that are bothering you in order to feel better." Another clap of thunder escorted them outside. Maniac laughter followed it; Temari was in a puddle under the tree laughing at the sky with the puppy jumping around her. She was muddy and soaked and laughing freely as if none of the bad things in her life were of concern. Leaning into Sasuke, Sakura wished she, too, could be happy like that.

* * *

Sasuke noticed the look of sadness in Sakura's eyes; she looked rather distant. He held her a little closer, wondering what she was thinking now. It was raining a little less now, but Sakura was thankful for the rain.

No one could tell she was still crying.

* * *

The three were now inside, Sakura and Sasuke sitting on the couch, Temari lying on the floor petting the puppy. For just meeting, Temari and the dog got along pretty well.

"So your mom," Sasuke noted, "Came back after six years…why?"

"I don't know," was Sakura's quiet reply.

"The lady," Temari rolled a bit to look at them, with the puppy following shortly after, "Is a real ass. I mean no offense Sakura, but she is. First class jerk…ya know, maybe your mom could teach her some manners."

Temari was referring to the woman in the kitchen: Sasuke's mother. She had kindly welcomed the girls and politely asked if anyone was afraid or allergic to dogs when the little puppy charged in.

"She is," Sakura added, "Rather unkind."

"I noticed a few days ago that your aunt left," Sasuke explained, "My dad came home complaining that one of his employees left without any notice. It turned out to be Kana Haruno."

"I know that even after all this time, she still hates me,' Sakura mumbled. Then, just as sudden and shocking as lightning, Temari ran out the front door. The storm was weaker now, but the rain still came down as steadily as the sound of Temari's footsteps.

"She's…a little brash. Running out on impulse…?" Sasuke looked at the open door, then back at the rug Temari was laying on. The puppy, currently half-asleep, lifted his head to see where his new friend had gone.

"Ah…" Sakura understood no better than Sasuke as to why Temari ran off.

"Does she know her way?" to this, Sakura was unsure, "My mom can drive you back. We'll look for her on the way."

* * *

Temari was sitting in the front bushes when the crazy Volvo pulled up. Kari Haruno got out and stared at her for a bit; Temari was quite an interesting sight. She was muddy and wet and one of her three ponytails had fallen out. Her make-up had been washed off in the rain, as did some of her hair dye. The sky blue only looked slightly faded in the parts of her hair that would never be blonde again, but the rest of the dye had run off and was now staining her black dress. After staring, Kari walked past without a word and went to unlock the door. Temari followed her inside and headed upstairs for a shower.

"Sakura'll prolly be getting a ride back...a lil later," Temari said to the outwardly cold woman, "Just in case you were wondering..."

"I wasn't," Kari stated.

"Well, you should've been."

"Why?" Temari was getting aggravated with this woman and her blasé attitude. Not being concerned with overdue library books -something like that- is ok. But not being concerned about your own daughter's whereabouts just isn't...normal.

"You...what now?" Temari didn't feel like taking the energy to suppress her anger towards this seemingly heartless woman, "What are you?"

Kari turned to face the girl. She was wearing an almost pained expression.

"I'm not some mistake of life."

The dark look in her eyes and straight face startled and almost scared Temari.

"What...who are you to talk?!" the girl's outburst changed Kari's expression to one of surprise, "You...you, my father...others too...you're just some pathetic excuses for human beings!!!" Kari opened her mouth to retaliate, but Temari would have none of that.

"You humans think you're so high and mighty, what's with that?! Everyone's always saying 'oh, here we have equality' or 'be yourself' but how God damn hypocritical is that?! Be yourself and you'll be hated! And equality? That's just a bunch of crap people say they have so that they can feel good about where they live! There are humans who don't have rights, so how can people like me have them?" Temari was shouting now, "You humans try to control and classify everything, and if you can't, you fear it! Then if you fear it, you try to kill it! What the fuck is up with that?! You're not all that great; no one ever really came up to you and said you deserve this planet, let alone the things in it! You should be more grateful!! I'm not saying that I'm better than you, maybe people like me are useless, but you have **absolutely****no right** to act upon it!!! Who told you we were the mistakes? Maybe all of you are! Maybe everyone was intended to be a freak like me, but some mutagen caused you all to be 'normal'. If that's the case, then you'd be the freak of nature! But we don't know, do we? So then NO ONE CAN SAY ANYTHING TO EITHER OF OUR 'SPECIES'!!!!"

Temari's rant brought out a flash of different emotions on Kari's face: now the once stone-faced woman was expressing shock, fear, and something else...

understanding?

"I...you," Kari stood with that same expression on her face as a car pulled up in the driveway, "Not really..." She kept speaking in fragments.

Sakura came in just then, opening the door to end up standing right next to her stuttering mother. The two Harunos looked at each other: one set of eyes quizzical and confused, the other set of eyes on the verge of tears. Kari simply went to the back of the house without a word.

"E-eh? W-what's?" Sakura looked up the stairs at Temari, who simply shrugged.

"Why not ask her? She may be a bit more understanding now. I talked some sense into her..." Temari muttered that last part to herself. Now thoroughly exhausted, Temari turned and left for the shower, leaving a confused Sakura to stand in the doorway. _What's going on?_ Sakura asked herself as she wandered over to where her mother went. Kari was staring at the sky from the backyard deck.

"Mom?" Sakura approached her cautiously, for slight fear of being hit. Kari turned slightly.

"Go away," Kari's voice was low and unfamiliar to the girl. Despite her concern, Sakura did as she was told.

Each had their own memories.

* * *

WITH SAKURA 

_FLASHBACK_

_A nine year old Sakura was walking home from the park with her mother. Sakura had brought a dead bird back to life, and was previously hit for doing so. Now, the girl and her mother were walking hand in hand: a jumpy girl with the mother who'd hit her. Kari looked down at her, "I'm...not that mad, it's just...you can't do things like that in public. It's a special kind of mishap that people don't like."_

"_So, people don't like special?" Sakura asked in her soft little kid voice. The comment made her mother think rather hard for an answer._

"_Not...exactly," Kari replied as they neared their house, "You and your uncle are special...in a way. People, most in the world, don't seem to be ready, or able, to accept that kind of 'special'. But some day..." _

_Little Sakura didn't get it._

_END FLASHBACK_

Older Sakura was now beginning to understand.

* * *

WITH KARI 

Kari was thinking of her brother. The one she was resentful of and yet, thankful for. The one she hated and adored at the same time. However...

_FLASHBACK_

_Kari looked at her mother. She had just gotten home from middle school with her twin brother, who had done the impossible._

"_And then it started breathing again! The dog that I __saw__ get hit by a car was __alive__ again!" Kari was astonished. She was admirable and scared._

"_Yes..." their father had answered, "Your brother is...different."_

"_But, we're twins...?" Kari didn't get it._

"_Someday you'll realize for yourself what I mean. But, while he may seem strange to you at times, remember, he's your own flesh and blood. Your own family. Humans have found it easier to hate than to love, to destroy rather than to create. But that doesn't mean that is what you should do, not everything easy is the better choice. You may end up hurting people."_

"_So...what's right?"_

"_There is no right or wrong. Only righteousness, and those with different opinions of what that should be."_

_END FLASHBACK_

It was always easier to hate those who were different from her. And now, Kari realized she had been hurting her own family. Just now...a little too late. She could never apologize to her brother; he's been dead for a while. But her daughter, there was some hope of replenishing the family love she had been denied. In fact, the other girl's speech was what unearthed these memories...maybe she'd like to read some of the old diaries that were kept. Temari was like a younger, more extreme version of Kari's father. And thanks to her, Kari's father's knowledge wouldn't go to waste.

_Thank you child...so much. I wish your mother were here to see how you've grown..._

* * *

**so? good or no? reviews make me update much faster! it's inspiring to see that others enjoy my works!**

**all of the things kari's dad and temari had said were thoughts from my own mind. just random stuff i was able to add in. **

**sometime i'll add a bunch of character pictures to my deviant art account. i'll prolly tell ya in the next chapter if i did or not yet.**

_here's a llama, there's a llama, and another little llama, fuzzy llama, funny llama, little llama, _DUCK,

**iamsarcasm**


	24. Chapter 24

**me and my brilliant mind are so SO very sorry we haven't been updating! life caught up with us, damn that thing!**

**so now i am balancing the last of my mid-winter break between finishing my cursed project and updating both of my fanfics. we will try our hardest to do both, and to do it spazzfully.**

* * *

Sakura looked over at Temari, who was letting her newly dyed hair dry. It was a rather...strange sight, for instead of using a blow dryer or just sitting it out like most people would, Temari was sitting on the floor with her head in front of the vent, reading the newspaper. Sakura was on Temari's laptop Google-ing random things out of boredom, and just now noticed what Temari was doing.

"Umm..." Sakura didn't quite know if she should ask her about it or if she should just let it go, "Having fun?"

Temari rolled over to look at her, "No. My back hurts. The floor is hard."

Neither girl had seen Sakura's mother since their individual encounters with her earlier that evening. Kana had locked herself in the little office-like room and could be heard fiercely shuffling through papers. Sakura didn't want to disturb her mother's activities by asking what she was doing, and Temari didn't really care.

"Hey Sakura," Temari broke apart the pink one's thoughts, "They said...the arts festival is like...Friday? This upcoming Friday?"

"Um, yes," Was Temari still thinking of doing something? She never did seem to let that vegan food thing go...she wasn't as passive aggressive as Hinata or as nonchalant as Shikamaru to just drop an idea.

"So we all got...six, maybe six and a half days to do something. Yeah, I think we can do that..." Temari started violently scribbling on the newspaper she was holding. Sakura simply watched her, silently hoping she wasn't planning something weird.

* * *

That Monday, Ten Ten skipped her first hour to sit in Sakura's class again. Even though Temari and Sakura arrived ten minutes before the bell rang, Temari was late, and only came to whisk away Ten Ten.

"Eh? You want my help?" the brunette had pointed at herself, "You sure yer not thinking of getting Hinata again? Usually she's around helpin' you..." Hinata had been looking at birds out the window, listing the names of them to Sakura and Sasuke while Naruto drew them, so she didn't hear Ten Ten's comment.

"Nah, I need your help this time, you know one of the dudes in the camera recording class, right?" Temari was already helping get some of Ten Ten's books together.

"Who? Neji? Yeah I know him, but again, Hinata--"

"Just come on!"

The two older girls left without the others noticing. Their disappearance went unobserved until Naruto happened to glance to his right, saw the empty seat, and shouted, "TEN TEN'S A GHOST!!!"

The class was moderately used to his outbursts by now, so only the three in front of him and Kakashi turned to look at him.

"Naruto..." Kakashi sighed, "Think before you open your mouth. And then when you believe you have a conclusion, think again."

"Heh heh...sorry..." Naruto slunk back in his seat a little.

* * *

"Hey Sasuke!" Temari stood behind him at the lunch table, yelling as if he was a football field away.

"Ow, um...what?" Sasuke turned to see Temari was holding some sort of tape recorder. She shoved it in his face with a little too much force, knocking it into his forehead.

"...Temari? What is this?" He asked as he held up the device.

"It's decided. You are gonna be the narrator," Her look said that she had already made up her mind and there would be no complaints.

"You mind telling me for what?"

"Our arts festival project of course," Temari said, spanning her arm in front of her to show that she was talking about everyone there.

"Um, huh?" Hinata only heard the last part.

Shikamaru was too tired to reply.

"Hey COOL!" Naruto shouted.

"Is that so now?" Kiba just stared at her.

"Well...what is it about?" Sakura's voice had an innocent ring to it.

"Stopping animal cruelty," Temari said it like they all were idiots for not realizing the theme before, "Let's see...Kiba, Naruto, come help Ten Ten with the camera stuff! Sasuke, figure out how to work that recorder! Shikamaru, do you get along with Kiba's dog?"

"Wha? What does that have to do with anything?" Shikamaru spoke up.

"A lot, now...Hinata do you own any jean overalls?" Temari turned to the last two she hadn't addressed yet.

"Uhh, no, I don't..."

"Well get some. Or some jean shorts...but not the slutty kind. Sakura, so you own a tea-party-style dress?"

"No, I don't think so..."

"Well then we're getting you one after school today."

"What the hell does any of this have to do with a movie about animal rights?" Shikamaru looked a little irritated.

"A lot, now--"

"_What the hell does any of this have to do with a movie about animal rights?"_

"I found out how to record stuff," Sasuke stated. Temari just looked at him for a minute.

"Good, now know it like the back of your hand. The narrator is an important job!" Temari turned to leave, reminding Kiba and Naruto to come with her.

"Crazy lady, what are we in for now?" Shikamaru muttered to himself while Sasuke checked the labels on the recorder and the girls questioned why they needed new outfits.

* * *

"Here is good!" Temari walked into a Sweet Lolita shop with Sakura, Hinata, and Ten Ten trailing behind. Apparently, Ten Ten needed a new outfit too, but all Temari said was something dark and dramatic. Temari herself looked very out of place in the pastel pink shop, but scanned through the dresses despite her black attire.

"May I help you?" a sales woman came up in a pastel pink and white lace ruffle dress that went to just above her knees, with white gloves, a pink lacey head bow, pink and white stockings, and little dress shoes that looked like little pink cakes with white frosting. Temari's face suddenly lit up and she pointed at the woman.

"Is your entire outfit for sale here?" she asked, finger still in the air.

"Um, yes it is. Would you like to try it on?" the sales woman clasped her hands together lightly and tilted her head with her question, causing her curly hair to shift a bit.

"Yeah, she's gonna try it on!" Temari whirled around and grabbed Sakura, who was kindly led away by the sales lady.

"Hmm," Temari had spotted a dark red dress with less ruffles, and a blue version right next to it, "Hey Ten Ten, red or blue?"

"You mean which I like better?" Ten Ten turned from admiring a cute top.

"I don't care. Just choose."

"Ummmm, red."

Temari instantly dragged Ten Ten off to find the dress in her size and pair it with a million little accessories.

"Now," Temari had said to Hinata when both of the others were finished changing, "We have to make you look like a farmer."

"Eh?"

* * *

The next shop they went to was a small thrift store further down the street. Temari pulled out a pair of jean shorts that went down to Hinata's knees and a white shirt with green sleeves.

"Go try this on!" she had pushed Hinata in the direction of the fitting room. The store was a bit small, so Hinata had to wait for the lady who was already in the one fitting room.

"Temari, do you actually expect me to wear this?" Ten Ten held out her bag that contained the dark red dress with an empire waist that went halfway down Ten Ten's shins. They had also picked up arm warmers that went from her knuckles to just a bit past her elbow, for the dress had short sleeves, a bonnet-looking head piece, and some dark red ankle boots with ribbons that matched the bonnet.

"Yes, yes I do expect you to wear it. It's only for the movie...come on, you're in the drama club, you can take it."

Ten Ten muttered something along the lines of 'whatever' as Hinata came back.

"Did it fit?" Temari asked.

"Uh huh," Hinata noticed the blue-blonde girl eyeing her purple hair.

"Hmm, on the first rehearsal day, I'll help you get your hair in a Harvest-Moon-style-farm-girl-look, all right? Now let's go buy this and go home. That was actually pretty good, getting all three costumes in one day!" Temari sounded very pleased with herself.

* * *

"Hey, would you mind," Ten Ten started as the three headed home, "Telling us what exactly we're doing for this play-movie-thing. And not just us, I'm wonderin' 'bout the others too."

"Well," Temari listed them off, "Hinata's brother is letting us borrow the equipment, Hinata herself is gonna be the farmer, umm, Naruto said he's gonna help with special effects, Kiba's the camera dude, Sasuke's the narrator, Shikamaru's the first 'client'- the boy-with-dog, Ten Ten's gonna be the evil witch, and Sakura's the magical girl." Temari nodded to herself as if it all really made sense.

"Temari that makes no sense whatsoever," Ten Ten stated.

"Gah! It makes sense in my head, it's just hard to explain...you'll see when it's all finished!" Temari looked like an angry child when she said this, causing the other three to giggle.

"When it's finished, you say? So you really do intend on putting this...whatever-it-is, in the arts festival?"

"Damn straight."

* * *

**yes, i have updated both of my stories now. i feel quite a bit better. also, there are many inspirations for my work. reviews are one of those things. i am quite sure that you will not be able to guess what the others are. on that note, please review.  
**

**i will see you later, when the kraken is released,**

**iamsarcasm **


	25. Chapter 25

**agh! so long! i'm sorry, it's been housework and foreign language week and sickness and demotivation!**

**yes this chapter is short, but better than nothing, right? i'm sick, and going out of town in a few days. **

**this is a small bit leading up to when sakura and temari watch the full movie. **

**arg, tired and stuff...hey! wanna watch something funny? go to: www dot big bunny dot com! (won't let me type out links...)  
**

* * *

"This is good!" Temari was sitting on the floor editing the video everyone had made. It was the day before the arts festival and all of the scenes were finally pieced together. Sakura had just walked into her room from the shower, but Temari still smelled like firecracker smoke. She had her blue-blonde hair up in a messy bun and was leaning over her laptop. Kana was downstairs silently making spaghetti. 

"Sakura, come watch this! I finally got it all together!" Temari rolled to the other side of the room to poke Sakura's knee.

"Ok! I've been wanting to see how it looks all together!" Sakura watched her friend roll back to where she was before. Temari seemed to never use chairs, and therefore rolled around instead of getting up all the time. 

Taking a seat by the laptop, Sakura watched Temari close a few windows and press play.

"Besides the little talking intro, it just sorta skips into the Shikamaru-dog-scene, so i have to work a few things out," Temari said as the screen faded in.

* * *

_Camera fades in to see the whole group minus Kiba (the camera man) sitting at a table. Naruto is folding together some papers and rock-looking things while Sasuke questions Temari on the point of the film._

"Honestly, people are just gonna think it's a big comedy...well, it sort of is, but still. It's like there's no point to it," Sasuke told her.

"There is too a point!" Temari screeched back.

"What is it then? Even I, the narrator, am unsure of the point and/or plot," Sasuke calmly retorted.

"The point is...be kind to animals or random magical girls will come and beat you!" 

Everyone stared at her for a while until Shikamaru said, "You know, people don't really think too hard about the meaning of things. If they have to decipher things, the meaning will most-likely go unnoticed."

"Well...here!" Temari grabbed the camera and pointed it at her face, "The point is to be kind to animals! No animal abuse!"

_The shot fizzled out._

* * *

"So that's your intro?" Sakura asked.

"Yup, just to make sure that all the ignorant people get it!" Temari sounded proud.

"Um, are you sure you won't be offending anyone by saying that?"

"Who cares what other people think?"

* * *

******finished. short, but sweet.**

******"wait, don't run, tasty children! i am your friend, BIG BUNNY!"**

******"there's something strange about that giant pink rabbit..."**

******iamsarcasm**

* * *


	26. Chapter 26

OOOHH! so sorry for not being able to update! there's been death in the family and state traveling and i've been sick for days at a time, various times. AND i still have schoolwork!

this is just to tell you that it will be a while before i update again. so you all don't think i disappeared and died (which is what most of my classmates thought...--")

once i DO update the story, i'll probably just end up taking this little letter down and posting the new chapter in it's place.

sigh gomen!

i really can't help all of these delays!

(although, i don't quite know why i'm apologizing as i can't really help it, and now you all might be thinking, 'what a polite author...' or maybe just 'weird-o, why are you apologizing to me?' truth is, i feel bad when i don't do something that i tell myself i will, and i feel the need to apologize...)

ok! now here's a little head's up! chapter completion: 32!!

not much, but me and my brilliant mind will do our best!

**iamsarcasm**

**you know it's going to be a bad day when you fall out of bed and miss the floor**


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